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Miss E. F. Chawner,



I have advertised for weeks for another hen without any success. I

shall not meet another kind friend like Canon Dutton. I cudgelled

my brains half the night considering how I might obtain one. I

was besieged by a host of vain regrets and a thousand “ If only’s.”

There was no echoing response to any of my unuttered suggestions.

Finally sleep, the mighty but gentle one, crept up softly and before

the next hour could strike I was in “ the beautiful land of nod ”

enjoying perfect weather and fondling a full-fledged young Malabar.

But at 7.30 came a rap at the door and I awoke to a hopeless

dawn.”


POSTSCRIPT. —Since writing the above Canon Dutton has most

generously allowed me to have another hen Malabar he

possessed and, although I have no hopes of breeding

Malabars this year, at least the dawn of a new era appears

to dissipate the clouds of remorse and disappointment.



ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT BREEDING

YELLOW-WINGED SUGAR-BIRDS.


Ccereba cyanea.


By Miss E. F. Chawner.


My hen Yellow-winged Sugar-bird came into breeding con¬

dition by the last week in April and called lustily for a mate, but as

my cock had died during the winter (I find the cocks of this species

decidedly more delicate than the hens) and I could not hear of

one for sale it looked as though she must call in vain. By the

kindness of Mr. Seth-Smith, however, I did procure a very nice

cock which had been offered for purchase to the Zoological Gardens

and was not required there. He arrived on May 13th, was put out

after a brief quarantine and the hen took to him at once.


It was very pretty to see them together when the cock was

courting, his beautiful turquoise crown erect and wings expanded

showing their bright yellow feathers ; on these occasions his wife

looked very much pleased, shivering her wings and throwing back

her head until the long beak pointed straight up, the show generally



