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I did not succeed in getting to the Crystal Palace Show until Satur¬

day afternoon, and I do not think the bird could have been on exhibit at

the time I looked round. I find it hard to believe that I could have over¬

looked so noticeable and comparatively rare an exhibit. Will i\Ir. Phillipps

kindly say if it was in full colour ? (c)


If any of our members at any time lose such foreign birds as Starlings,

Bower-birds, Sliamas, Parrakeets, or the more tender and delicate insec¬

tivorous and frugivorous species generally, and they do not require the

skins for themselves, I should be very glad if they would post them on

to me, and I would thankfully acknowledge the same, with cost of postage.


W. T. Page.



BREEDING THE RED-FACED FINCH.


Sir,—I have a pair of Pytelia afra sitting on either two or three eggs,

and should be much obliged if any of the contributors to the “ Avicultural

Magazine ” could tell me what I should do about food for the young birds,

should the parents be successful in hatching them out. The birds have

been sitting for a week, and one of them is always in the nest; they take it

in turns, and are sitting very well. Their nest is in a small basket tied

inside their cage. I have had the male bird for three years, but only got

the hen on the 20th March this year.


I should also be glad to know if the Pytelia afra has ever been bred in

this country.


I feed them on canary, millet, spray millet, and green food ; but

perhaps the young birds may require soft food if they hatch out. I am not

sure how long the period of incubation is, and should be glad to know.


E. W. Robertson.



The following reply has been sent to Airs. Robe/ tson :


You should certainly give the birds daily, in addition to their seed, a

small pan of soft food : — two parts crushed sweet biscuit to one part yolk of

egg, and one part of ants’ eggs, moistened; if you could get fresh ants’

eggs it would be better; if not I would recommend you to put a few

small mealworms in for them daily.


I cannot discover that the Red-faced Finch has ever been bred,

although Mr. Hawkins had a hen which deposited several eggs on the

floor of its cage. A. G. BUTEER.



BALDNESS IN BIRDS.


Sir, — I see in your issue of May, 1901, a reply to Mrs. Robertson with

regard to her treatment of a Red-faced Finch.


I studied most carefully the question of bald birds, and I never found

a single case arise from pecking, nor did I find oil or vaseline of any use.


If Mrs. Robertson cannot cure her bird, and she likes to send it to

me after June iotli, I will treat it. I have never failed to get my birds into

good condition. FI. E. Cope.



(c) Yes; but it was not pat ticularly noticeable, cooped up in a cage. The laxity of

the Show officials in allowing rare birds to be carried away in order that they may be

drawn or painted is most reprehensible. See my remarks at page 22 of the current volume.

R. P.



