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As I stand and look at these four youngsters my feelings

are of the kind known as ‘ indescribable ; ’ for human happiness

consists in having what you want, and wanting what you have ;

and I believe firmly with the immortal Josh Billings ‘ that it is a

darned sight easier tew find six men who ken tell exactly how a

thing ought tew be did than tew find one who can do it.’



CORRESPONDENCE.



LONGEVITY OF GREY PARROTS.


Sir, —I have just come across a “Penny Magazine” for 1834, and

extracted from a letter therein as follows :


“ The Grey Parrot, like many others of its tribe, often lives to a great

age, and we are told of individuals attaining to 50 or 60 years, or over 100

years. According to Le Valliant, one which lived in the family of Mr.

Meninck Huysir, at Amsterdam, for 32 years, had previously passed 41 with


that gentleman’s uncle, who bequeathed it to his nephew.When


Le Valliant saw it, the bird was in a state of decrepitude.At the


age of 60 its memory began to fail. It moulted regularly once a year until

the age of 65, when the red feathers of the tail were supplied by' yellow

ones, after which no other change of plumage took place.”


As some thousands of Grey Parrots have been imported since that

time, has a similar case ever been known, or would the above account

be an exceptional instance of change of colour in the tail ?


W. T. Cateeugh.



A STORK IN ENGLAND.


Sir, —When travelling by train from Newhaven to London on June

iStli, shortly after passing through I,ewes, I saw a fine Stork beside a dike

in some water meadows. I wonder whether this was a wild bird.


B. C. ThomaSSET.


NEST OF MOCKING BIRD.


Sir. —I was glad to see Mr. Farrar’s nest; although, when it reached

me, it had lost most of the character which he describes on p. 183, and

looked like a small bunch of hay rammed into an elder-crutch.


A. G. Buteer.



