127



awkwardly about November. It is no worse; but on close examination I see

the use of the foot has gone. The other foot is all right, but this one seems

quite stiff and helpless. They always roosted in a mass of logs and bracken

but I fear this very severe weather has been more than they can stand.


The Red-sided Eclectus, my man now tells me, has only one egg as

far as he can see; it is difficult to judge as she is nesting in a long log-nest.

She laid once previously one egg, but it proved clear. She sits very closely,

and only comes off to take a few seeds, and, if she hear a sound, darts back

to the nest. The cock never feeds her as far as I can see. Should the egg

hatch, I will certainly write again. M. Johnstone.


The following ftirther reply was forwarded to Mrs. Johnstone.


I fear much that nothing can be done for your female Crimson Wing

but to give gentle warmth and nursing, simple food, and fluid magnesia

occasionally in the drinking water. I would not worry this bird by bathing

the eye if there be no apparent inflammation ; from what you say, it is too

late. The mischief has been done. It is possible, but exceedingly unlikely,

that these two birds may have pricked their eyes in the aviary. Dead gorse

might do this; but you mention only the innocent bracken. It seems to

me that your birds were in too good health and condition (notwithstand¬

ing the foot) to be killed outright by the cold, but that it has most seriously

affected their system. If they recover, with the loss of only one eye each,

it is the best that may be hoped for I fear.


If the female has ?iot received any injury, the loss of the use of one foot

probably will have been caused by difficulty of some sort in connection

with egg-production,—probably set up by cold. The desire of these auti-

podeans to nest during our cold season is a source of great danger and

difficulty. It seems now too late to do anything. Gentle warmth and

quiet, simple diet, and a well-shaded corner into which she can retreat from

all glare and disturbance, hold out the only possible hopes.


I am very much interested in what you say about the Eclectus. Tell

your man not to disturb her in any way, but (apparently) to ignore her

existence as far as possible. I cannot call to mind any instance of an

Eclectus having laid in this country. Reginald Phileipps.


GOULDIAN FINCHES.


Sir, —Mr. Wiener invites the experiences of those who have kept

Gouhlian Finches, and, although I believe I have recorded mine on more

than one occasion, for the benefit of those who may not have seen it, I do

so again.


With me the Gouldian Finches have always been the simplest and

hardiest of tropical birds to keep: living for } - ears, breeding most freelv,

and always appearing in perfect health and condition. The management

is so simple that it practically amounts to none at all. The} - are placed in

pairs in the open aviary at the end of April or in the beginning of May, one

pair in a compartment. I do not find that more than one pair nest satis¬

factorily in a compartment, however large it maybe; but this I think is

not the experience of some.


They moult out in the spring and early summer, slowly at first, very

quickly afterwards, commence nesting in August, and rear two broods of

young ones between then and October. In numbers from three to six.



