164 Correspondence. \ 



behind the house; 1 fancy, therefore, they are rather scarce in these parts. 



Magpies and Crotrs. — A pair of Magpies built in a fir tree near 

 the pigsties and laid eight eggs, but the nest has since been raided by a 



pair of Carrion Crows, which after battles lasting over three days finally 

 succeeded in driving off the pies and plundering the nest. I shall have 

 to " strafe " these black Huns before long as they are always up ta 

 similar mischief, and have recently carried off three young Golden Pheasants.. 



The /1i'/a/-j'.— Nothing much doing yet, the difficulty being to mate 

 up odd birds. However, Black Tanagers : have young nicely feather- 

 ing. Calijorniaii Quail have laid seventeen eggs, but are not yet sitting. 

 Virginian Cardinals (old pair, have had the hen since 1908 and when 

 I bought her she appeared by no means in the first blush of youth) havef 

 nested twice, both times the hen laid two eggs, but on both occasions^ 

 somehow or other they got thrown out of the nest, probably through 

 the interference of one of the numerous old birds in the aviary ; she has 

 now, I believe, gone to nest again. " Some " bird, I think I 



Caersws, Montgomeryshire, i/6/'i6. GERALD E. RATTIGAN, 



