52



Correspondence.



Last autumn, my flock had increased in number to twenty-two, and

many were sent away. On trying to sex them, I found that the eyes were

of several different shades, and that I was unable to sex the majority of

them by the colour of the eye.


1 have to-day (September 24) been catching up some of my Lovebirds.

For quite a time they have often been sitting together in couples, doubtless

in pairs ; with great care I succeeded in cutting three couples off, couple bv

couple, from the others and caging each couple by itself. In each of these

three cases, one bird had a light and the other a dark eye. I think, conse¬

quently, I am justified at any rate in saying that this difference in the colour

of the iris very probably is a true sexual difference, notwithstanding Mr.

Temple’s opinion as expressed last March at page 165. Most or all of these

six birds, by the way, are grandchildren of the original specimens. As

regards the confusion of last year, I can only suggest—as assuredly takes

place occasionally, however rarely, with individuals actually bred in this

country—that the birds were thrown out of gear by the transfer of the

species from one part of the world to another.


There is one point I have not settled. To-day I did my utmost not

to disturb the old birds but to catch only the young ones. Whether, there¬

fore, the old females still retain the brown-red irides I referred to last

February (p. 133) I do not know.


Perhaps it is worth mentioning that these grandchildren of this year

are for the most part better coloured than were their parents at the same

age. Reginald Phieeipps.


NESTING OF THE SULPHURY SEEDEATER.


Sir,— Mr. Tescliemaker in his article on the Sulphury Seedeater, in

the August number of the Avicilltural Magazine , appears to doubt the

correctness of Dr. Butler’s description of the female of this species.


I can assure him it is quite correct, as in E. Pondoland, where I have

spent many years, this bird is common.


From Mr. Teschemaker’s description of his female bird, I rather

suspect that he has been crossing two species, the female being, most likely,

the White-throated Seedeater {Serious albigularis), which species answers

the description well. The latter species is a common bird in the South and

South-Western Cape Colony. C. G. DaviKS.


p.S.—The birds being of different species may account for the

difficulty in breeding them.—C. G. D.


BREEDING NOTES.


Sir,—I am not making any application for Medals this season, for

reasons which I will not enter into, but I should be exceedingly obliged if

our members, who may know of any previous instances of the under¬

mentioned species having been bred, would kiudlv notify the same either in

the Magazine or by post-card to me personally :—Stonechat, Reed-bunting,

Argoondah Quail, White-cheeked Crested Ouail [Eupsychortyx leucopogon.

Ruddy Finch (Carpodacus tnexicanus). W. E. Tkschemakek.



