4 8



Editorial Notes.



the field-naturalist or the aviarist to speak or write intelligibly

about birds.


A truly great Naturalist always deplores his own ignorance

and never loses an opportunity of expressing his indebtedness

to all those who have in any way assisted him ; such a man was

Charles Darwin, and it would indeed be well if all ornithologists

whether they be systematists or aviculturists would follow his

example both of humility and gratitude : mutual help is the

very spirit of civilization and progress, but it is much to be

feared that, as a rule, there is more envy, hatred, malice and all

uncharitableness among students of Nature than among almost

any other seekers after truth; it is all very childish and

mischievous.



EDITORIAL NOTES.


We hear from Mr. Astley that his Hooded Siskins ( Chry-

somitiis cucullatus ) have nested this year in a small breeding cage

and hatched two young ones, which, owing to being disturbed,

they only reared for a week.


Mr. Rathborne writes asking us if we can identify a bird,

recently imported from the West Indies, probably from Trinidad.

The gentleman who brought them home calls them ‘ Cissas.’

Mr. Rathborne writes: “They are insectivorous and quite as

large as a Lark. Snow white breasts, black caps and long

straight tails like the Swallow tribe. Can any member suggest

what they are?' 4 '


We were told the other day that for the last two or three

years a foreign aviculturist has succeeded in breeding the Wall-

creeper. Considering that this species is very difficult to keep

in captivity, the keeping and successful breeding of these birds

is a feat of which the owner may be justly proud.


In the current number of the Revue Frangaise d' Ornithologie

appears a short article by a M. Maillard on alterations produced

in captivity on the colours of birds. After dealing shortly with

the different kinds of moult, he points out that colours due to



A subsequent letter seems to point to the bird as Milvulus tyrranus, which we have never

before heard of in captivity.



