Xctters to tbc £Mtor. 



" TUBERCULOSIS " IN BIRDS. 



Sir, — The articles on this subject whicli have been pub- 

 lislied ill Bird Notes have l)een of such vital iiiipoitaiice to any 

 one interested in Bird culture, that it was inevitable a corres- 

 pondence should follow. 



I personally however can hardly understand how any oue 

 can be found to differ from the results of the researches of 

 Dr. Clarke and yourself, since to my mind the articles are 

 convincing enough to any man blessed with the ordinary' 

 amount of common sense. They have proved conclusively 

 that a common disease which was never before distinguished 

 from Tuberculosis is in i-eality Septicsemia. 



The thanks of the whole "Bird World" are due to you, 

 vSir, and your colleague for your arduous and great work. 



Tho.s. SAVr, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. 



REARING BIRDS BY HAND. 



Sir, — I shall be much obliged if some reader of Bud Notes 

 will kindly tell me how to bring up by hand the following 

 birds: Bullfinches, Tits, and Reed Warblers. 



E. Warren Vernon. 



[This was referred to Dr. Greene, who kindly writes as 

 follows. — Ed.] 



Sir, — In answer to the above query, young Bullfinches can 

 be readily reared on some of vSpratt's puppy biscuits sufficiently 

 moistened with cold milk or water to make it crumbly. This 

 can be picked up in a small pair of tweezers and held across 

 the young bird's month when it gapes. It will then help itself 

 as it would from its parent's mouth. Enough should be given 

 to make the crop comfortably full. Feeding must be repeated 

 every half-hour from dawn to dusk, land if the food can be 

 slightly warmed so much the better. This procedure should 

 be continued till the Bullfinches show a disposition to feed 

 themselves, when hemp, canary and rape seed should also be 

 placed at their disposal, the first to be slightly crushed, and the 

 other two to be soaked in cold water till quite soft, when the}' 



