she laid four eggs, only laying an egg every other day; and, in about

thirteen days after the last egg was-laid, I noticed there were young birds

in the nest. They were covered with white down. These birds lived only

for about two days and then disappeared, and I could find no trace of them.


The hen built another nest almost immediately, and again laid four

eggs; this .time on consecutive days. As I had a suspicion that the cock

knew something about the fate of the last lot of young ones, I caged him

up ; but it made no difference, as the young birds only lived as long as the

first brood had done.


The third time she laid only three eggs. This time I did not trouble

her at all until the young had been hatched a little while. They grew

splendidly until they were nine days old, when one night the largest one

fell from the nest to the ground and was killed. This seemed to dishearten

the old hen, as she deserted the remaining two immediately.


My birds were fed on ants’ eggs, mealworms, hard-boiled eggs, green

peas, raw meat chopped very fine, and plenty of green food, etc.


I see that the Rev. C. D. Farrar, in his article on these birds in Vol. V.,

draws attention to Mr. Gedney’s remark in his book, wherein he states that

his bird laid four eggs at intervals during eight days. In my aviary, with

the first nest, my experience coincides with Mr. Gedney’s, while in the

second and third nests with that of the Rev. C. D. Farrar.


R. FRANKIgN-HlNDI.E.



FOREIGN BIRDS AT BALLY WALTER PARK, CO. DOWN.


Sir, —It maj- interest you to know that my aviary has done very well

this year. I have lost very few birds, and those I have are all looking well.

They have been out since last Christmas, and have nearly all finished

moulting out of doors.


I reared a nest of Cordou-bleus ; they built in a little travelling cage

box outside and brought out three young ones. When I left for Scotland on

August 12th, they were well and flying about, but when I returned in

September, only the old birds remained.


I have thirty-three young Zebra-finches, two young Cutthroats, two

young Spice-or Nutmeg-finches. Is it not rather rare to rear the latter?

I obtained the parents in 1896, and this is the first year they have nested.

When I came home on September 26th the young ones still had fluff on

their heads though flying about out-side. Parson-finches and Saffron-

finches both laid but did not hatch.


The Scarlet and Superb Tanagers I bought at the Auxiliary Stores

last November were put out in May, and are now very nearly through

their moult.


My losses since last January have been : four Waxbills, five Black¬

headed Nuns — some very old ; two Parson-finches, some Canaries, and two

Combassons.


I am enlarging my aviary, and hope to have the Popes and Virginian

Cardinals separate next year.


The following is a list of the birds I have at present : —


No. 1 Aviary : Twenty-two Canaries, six Cut-throats, two Pintail

Whydalis, thirty-two Zebra-finches, seven Waxbills, four Red Avadavats,

three Green Avadavats, four White-bellied Nuns, eleven White-headed Nuns,



