270 



bathes, and some days is much worse than others, and is thin 

 and weak. I have taken him into the house, and put him in a 

 sunny window, feeding him on hemp, canary, and linseed, also 

 green food. What can I do for him ? E. Brooksbank. 



[Moles are not easily exterminated by means of traps, be- 

 cause their sense of smell is so acute that they can easily 

 detect the human agency in the proceeding. It is said that 

 they can be scared away I)}' simply pouring ordinary parafBn 

 oil into their runs. 



The Budgerigars should not be allowed to nest till April — 

 or the middle of March at the earliest. Take awaj' all husks 

 and nest boxes, and if they still show signs of wishing to nest, 

 separate the sexes if possible. 



To advise any />(i:/'//V«/<z/' treatment of the Rosella, without 

 knowing precisely what the given symptoms are due to, would 

 not be honest to you on my part. A careful perusal of the 

 ^' Stor}' of Bird Death" and particularly of pages 35 and 36 in the 

 number for last April, will also show how impossible it is for 

 ■even a professional medical adviser to honestly say what is the 

 matter with this bird upon the data above given. Of course it 

 would be quite easy for me to give some loosely worded and 

 misleading opinion and advice, and you would be none the 

 wiser ; but we have to remember that, apart from the ethical 

 •consideiations involved, there are plenty of well informed 

 medical men about nowadays, and one's own reputation is at 

 stake. 



Yet a little general advice will be admissible. Whatever 

 the disease is from which }our bird is suffering, it is pretty 

 certain that the organs of digestion are either primarily or 

 secondarily affected tliereb}' to a greater or a less extent, also 

 there is no doubt but that a sick bird should be protected from 

 cold. Therefore take away the hemp and linseed as being too 

 rich in fat, confining the bird to Canary seed, dr}' iinsweetened 

 biscuits, and sound green food, and continue to keep it in a 

 moderately warm place, well ventilated, but free from any 

 draught directly impinging upon its body. — Ed.] 



GOULDIAN FINCHES. 



Sir, -My magazines only recently came to hand, and in 

 looking through the same I was much surprised to gather 

 from Mr. Farrar's article in the July issue that he cannot keep 

 Gouldians under cool treatment, also at Dr. Greene's statement 

 (Septeniljer issue) that Gouldians cannot endure cold. For 



