103 

 dealt with at souie length by myself. IMy own Pekins never 



The sickness and death rate has declined in my aviaries 

 since I abolished the nse of egg. I want to see both my friends 

 and my enemies reap the same advantages; those who have 

 followed my example have already done so. 



W. Geo. Cresweli.. 



Sir, — As a member of the Magazine Committee I incnr 

 some measnre of responsibility for what appears in Bit d Notes, 

 and on that ground I venture to send you a short comment on 

 the remarks in Mr. Finn's paper which Dr. Creswell has 

 criticised. I hold nothing to be more pernicious than narrow 

 and arbitrar}' dogmatism, and welcome the freest discussion, 

 and greatest liberty of opinion on all questions which are open 

 to dispute; but I am no less opposed to stereotyped ignorance, 

 and blind reiteration of error. These defects have been more 

 than sufficiently represented in popular avian journals, and I 

 have always supposed that the principal, and much-needed 

 purpose of Biid Notes was to represent the rational, scientific, 

 and progressive side of ornithology. In that conviction I feel 

 bound to support Dr. Creswell's objection to Mr. Finn's 

 unqualified assertion that Java Sparrows, Canaries, and Pekin 

 Robins need egg. The subject of egg feeding has been fully 

 discussed in Bird Notes, and no impartial and intelligent 

 student of the question can doubt that the use of egg is 

 attended with risk. As regards its necessity a number of 

 facts have been adduced which appear to directly disprove it. 

 They have not been answered, and until they are, the con- 

 clusion which unprejudiced readers will draw must be that the 

 alleged necessity is " not proven." B}' all means let anyone 

 who thinks otherwise bring forward facts in support of his 

 belief, but until this is done, having regard to the facts and 

 arguments which have been published, it does not appear 

 to me consistent with the position we desire iov Bird Notes, that 

 reactionary and dogmatic assertions like Mr. Finn's should be 

 published without facts and arguments to support them. 



R. H. Clarke, 



Sir,— I was surprised to see such a definite statement on 

 the part of Mr. Finn as to the necessity of egg-food for Java 

 Sparrows, Canaries, and Pekin Robins. 



