292 Correspondence. 



One of the aliove illusti-atos tliis brief review; all are 

 equally descriptive of the episode they j^artray and are exciviisitely 

 reproduced . 



Th.e text is terse and clear ^.lescriptivc of the story so 

 beautifully told throug''h the camera. We cordially eoninicnd this 

 booklet to our readers. 



Correspondence. 



AVICULTURAL PUZZLES. 



vSir, — Since you invite correspondence on the (jucstion I'aised 

 by Captain Reeve in the S;.'pte]nber issue o'i "IJ.N." I should 

 like to suggest that perliap-s the I'ailures refoi'rcd to arc like many 

 of mine due to mice. 



Mice undoubtedly put the sitting Ijirds off their eggs during 

 the night, and even if the birds go on again when daylight comes, 

 the eggs are cold — pirobably si)oilt, and one gets the impression 

 that they were infertile or "clear." 



The death of young bii'ds must also be frcipuintly <'aused 

 in the same way — more especially if the parents are driven off 

 during the dark hours. v 



Personally I have had more mice this year than ever 

 befoi-e, and if the drought has hindei'ed bird breeding!, it has 

 certainly encouraged tl>e mulliplication of these pests by rendering 

 their burrows more habitable th.an is usual du ing our wet summers. 



With special reference to Waxbills 1 find that they are 

 much less inclined to use a nest -box or husk than most other 

 finches, and that tliey Avill mostly buiid their typical domed nest 

 amongst twiggy branches, if they have no living bushes at their 

 disposal. 



My birds have in one aviary two Poplars, a Syringa, two 

 standard Bay trees gi'owing in tubs, and thick ivy, covering about 

 ten yards of wall— the Waxbills appear to 'prefer the Bays to 

 any other bush, for one tree contains three nests and the other 

 two . 



It is possible that tlie absence of lower ))ranches gives 

 the birds a sense of security — which in effect could be made ab- 

 solute, by keeping the trees away from the wire netting, and 

 putting a disc of tin round the trunk to p^revent th-e apqiroach 

 of mice. 



I liave myself proved quite definitely that live ants' eggs 

 are not a sine qua nan, but / think they ,are tli/j finest pos- 

 sible food for young Waxbills of all species. 



Even Golden-breasted Waxbills will struggle with a large 

 mealworm if feeding young, and I have on one or two occasions 

 seen them carrying small earth w^orms. Gentles are a very easily 



