I 75



scarlet; quills and primary-coverts blue ; secondaries and outermost greater

upper wiug-coverts blue, tinged with green on the outer webs ; carpal edge

bluish green ; under wing-coverts olive green ; tail blue, with the base of

the feathers, especially of the central ones, tinged with reddish brown ;

quills and tail-feathers underneath golden olive, becoming dusky towards

the tips; bill horny black; feet brown flesh - colour; naked cheeks

yellowish flesh-colour; iris brown-red. Total length 167 inches, wing S - 5,

tail 9*i, bill i - 4, tarsus o - 6.


Female, hike the male, only the red on the forehead less extended.


Young. Red colour on the forehead less extended and paler; the

patches on the lower back and middle of the abdomen yellowish, and the

upper parts spotted with pale grey-brown,


Hab. Brazil and Paraguay.


I am not aware that either Leadbeater’s Cockatoo or the Rock Pepler

has been bred in this country.


There are a few instances known of the former having laid eggs.


Reginald Phieeipps.


[Note. —Since the foregoing was written, I have noticed that the

Rock Pepler has also laid eggs and sat; but I cannot trace that young have

ever been reared in this country.—R. P.]



IDENTIFCATION OF BIRD—INDIAN FINCHES.


Sir, —Would you kindly identify the dead bird herewith, also the

following.


Same shape as a Linnet but rather longer; head, throat, and nape

bright chestnut-brown ; wings light grey barred with bright saffron-yellow,

back and underparts bright yellow; feet flesh-colour, and bill light grey.

The female has no brown, and the underparts are yellowish white, very pale.

The build and general form is the same as the dead bird, but longer and

more powerful.


Both kinds sing well, and were bought in Calcutta.


I have at last been able to get one Purple Sun-bird home (out of 12)

and I suppose it is the only one alive in England. H. C. Heseeton.



The following reply was sent to Mr. Heselton :


Although the bird you sent to me was in very poor condition, I have

no doubt that it was a young male of the Crimson Rose-finch (Carpodacus

erythrinus) not quite in adult colouring.


The other bird, which you describe, is doubtless Emberiza luteola,

which Jerdon calls the Red-headed Bunting.


I have kept the former, but not the latter species. A. G. Butler.



MICE AND STRYCHNINE.


Sir,—I n May last, at pp. 140- r, I referred to the partial failure of

Battle’s Vermin Killer to kill my mice. The acting agent in this poison is,

I am told, strychnine.


In the Zoologist for June, which has just come to hand, at page 235,



