246 



organs and liave ])een called " tubercles") is in reality due not 

 to the tubercle bacillus, but to a septic bacillus of quite a 

 different species, and incapable (and this is the important 

 matter) of producing tubercular disease in human Ijeiugs, or as 

 far as it is yet known any other baneful effect. 



And let nie point out to those of your readers who have no 

 technical knowledge of these matters, that what they have to 

 watch for are cases clearl}' described bj' an expert (presumably 

 in most cases a medical man) who, working in a pathological 

 laboratory, states the species of bird and mode of death, the 

 naked eye and microscopical appearances of the chief organs, 

 and finally isolates the organism causing the disease, grows 

 this in culture tubes, and demonstrates its habits and micro- 

 scopical appearances. There is, unfortunately, no lack of 

 material — hundreds of corpses may be too readily obtained, 

 and your readers may take it from me that unless the tubercle 

 bacillus is clearh' proved in the above way to be a fairly 

 frequent cause of disea.se among cage-birds, the reason is 

 to be found in those facts underlying the opinion, which you, 

 vSir, have formed of its extreme rarity. 



S. H. vSnki.t., M.D. & B.S. (Loud.) 

 Wandsworth Common, vS.W. 



BREEDING EXPERIENCES. 



Sir,— Some of your readers may like to hear about my 

 aviary during this year, and one great success which I have had, 

 viz., the breeding and rearing a Nicobar Pigeon. The parents 

 liave been in my possession for six years, having been bought 

 for £^ from Mr. Jamrach. For three years they made no 

 attempt at nesting, and I did not know whether they were 

 both cocks or a true pair. Two years ago they laid one egg on 

 the ground ; did not sit on it, but hunted a Java Dove off her 

 nest and took po.ssessiou of a newly hatched young one. They 

 reared it, and showed great affection for it. I put their own 

 Q^g under a common pigeon, but it was unfertile. The follow- 

 ing year several eggs were laid, and at last they hatched one. It 

 only lived a week, and then fell out of the nest and died. 

 This year they made several nests and laid an egg in each. At 

 the end of July they hatched one young one and reared it. It 

 is much darker in plumage than the old birds, has copper-red 

 instead of bright green on its wings, and a black tail in place of 

 the white one of the parent.s. It is very strong, flies well, and 

 is as big as the old birds. When they make a nest they only 



