Editorial. 107 



fledged, l)ut dietl before it 'was able to fend for itself. It was 

 indccvl hard lines to ha\-e com'.' so near to sureess, and yet 

 to fall jusi short of it. WV' sym])athist' with her in the keeri 

 dj^aI)p()intn^('nt which nuisl ha\'e been hers, when this young 

 bird died, but she has the satisfaction of knowing that she 

 has got nearer to complete success than any other a\iiulturist 

 hitherto. At the moment of going to press we are giwn tlv" 

 following details: The young Sugarbird was hatched on July 

 29th. left the nest on August 8th, and died on August 31st. 

 It lived to feed itself but could not be called fully reared. 

 This l:)ird came from the second nest, the first brood died ]ust 

 after lea\ ing the nest. The nest was built of tow and paper 

 sha\ ings, chiefly the latter, in a fork of a cypress bough. 



The eggs, two in number, were large, and bult- 

 coloured. with a few spots and marking> at the larger -..'nd. 



W'l regret to learn that the parent birds ha\e suc- 

 cumbi ci to the long and trying winter, so there appears to be 

 no pro!:)ability of com])lete success being attained with this 

 species during the present season. 



Correspondence. 



TO ABOLISH RATS AND MICE. 

 Sir.- Somu three )c-ars agu I eiectc-d an uur-door a\iary which 

 >oc)ii aUiJClcd large numbers of mjoe and some ral=. Vox a considerable 

 nnii- 1 wa- qinti- nonplussed *^ tc how to gel nd ot ihcs-^ pests, but on 

 the advK (.- oi a nied.cai In-.-nd 1 procured a bo.v ol a certain patent 

 ]iiii>-()i; railed I'.xtirmo uhich 1 ha\, e louiul so effectual that 1 haven't .i 

 Miigie mouse or rat lett. uuloors or out. This is saying a great] deal, 

 for prc\ii.u_-l\ my ^jtable, larmsard and fowl-house were so infested with 

 rats thai they got ne.irly all my young chicken-.. The poison is m the 

 form of a i)aUe, and all one ha- to ilo is to spread some on a slice, 

 of new bread rut halt an incii thick. .\fter covering this with a coat- 



ing o! flour, cut It into two-inch squares, and ai ilusk lay these square* 

 about on the ground mosijy frequented by the rats. .\e.\t morning move 

 the pieces not consumed. Lay dow;r a fresh .sujipl)' ea( h night until the 

 last rai is accounted for. For mice instead of bread use small pieces 

 of sweet biscuit. The way in uhich the poison is said tio act is that if 

 establishe-, a bk-.iching ;iction which consume.^ the flesh and organs antil 

 nothing is left save the dry pell in a completely inoffensive condition. 1 

 may say tha; my experience of it completely bears out this assertion, lor 

 no offensive results have ever ensued from the use ot it about my 

 premises 



