Correspondence.



263



which, except tor making puddings, were not fit for human food, and would almost

certainly be fatal to birds. I stopped giving rice to the tanagers, but alas, a bit

too late. Since I stopped rice as a food, those birds that showed the bad

symptoms, viz., a much distended bowel, have recovered.


Have you ever eaten your crane eggs ? they are excellent. The flavour and

appearance is like plover eggs, and boiled hard and quartered on a salad cannot be

beaten.*


Yours sincerely,


Hoddam Castle, Ecclefecham, N.B.; E. J. Brook.


June 11th, 1917.


FOOD FOR NESTLING CHAFFINCH.


The Editor has received the following from a child friend, which is quoted

verbatim:


“ Please can you tell me how to feed my baby chaffinch that I have got ?

It is fairly old and sits on a perch. I have been giving it egg, but it seems to need

something else, it has been very well, but to-day it is very week (sic) and its tongue

is very pale! ! ????? Seed pearl (a diamond dove) is much better in the new

cage, her tale (sic) has grown again. You will write ? ”


P.S.—Ought I to give my chaffinch water ?


******


Advice was given that failing anything else, a little bread scalded in boiled

milk and squeezed fairly dry, with crushed hempseed or maw seed added and a

little yolk of egg might do, and water certainly; a drop on the finger after eating.



ERRATA.


See Dr. Amsler’s article in June Magazine.


Page 217, line 9, Sccretarius.


,, 218, ,, 21, clean meal.


,, 222, ,, ‘65, what an example to the rest of the world are we aviculturists!


,, 223, ,, 1, pea:h-iaced lovebirds.



* [Even in war time we fear we could not bring ourselves to swallow what might

be a Manchurian crane, etc.—of the future.—E d.]



