Correspondence


A WHITE BUDGERIGAR



197



Sirs,— My surprise was great when on going to the aviaries on

September 27 I saw clinging to the wire meshing a beautiful young

budgerigar, snow-white with faint blue markings. It had come from

a nest-box where there were two others, both blue. It is a male bird,

very robust, and in beautiful condition. When the blue cere is fully

coloured it will look charming in contrast to the white plumage. The

small patches on the cheeks are also blue, the eyes dark brown. The

shoulders are very faintly marked with pale blue, and there is a flush

(if one can apply the word to blue) of the same tint on the rump ; but

the general appearance is snowy white. The parents are blue.


Hubert D. Astley.


September 20, 1920.



HIMALAYAN SISKINS


Sirs, — -Withreference to Dr Hopkinson’s remarks on the Himalayan

Siskin, Mr. Teschemaker could probably give more details than I am

able to do, as he has, I believe, bred both S. tibetanus and //. spinoides.


One year we were both successful in breeding them, and

Mr. Teschemaker sent me a pair of his young birds, with a view to an

exchange. These were distinctly smaller than my youngsters, and of

a different colour, which makes me think that my birds were of the

larger variety, Ii. spinoides. However, I recently sent a clutch of eggs

laid in my aviary to a well-known collector, who tells me that they do

not correspond with a clutch he received direct from India. Both this

year and last season I reared some very pretty hybrids from a cock

Goldfinch and one of my hens. The cocks make good singers.


W. Shore-Bailey.



