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feathers, black; umlerparts, pale buff, a darker shade on the flanks, with a

salmon tinge; bill, very pale pinkish horn colour; the size of the bird is

about midway between both parents.


Both young birds, up to being a fortnight old, were almost bare, but

on leaving the nest at the end of 26 days were then full)' fledged. They

were fed and reared entirely by the Silverbill. The bird now living has

just got through the moult and is a fine smart youngster.


C. H. Clayton.



REARING VIRGINIAN NIGHTINGALES: THE ST. HELENA

WAX BILL, &c., &c.


Sir, —I wrote and asked last year how to rear young Virginian Night¬

ingales, and I am writing this year to say I have been successful in rearing

a fine cock bird. In May the)' had one young one, which disappeared at a

week old, so, when the hen hatched out two the next time, I took the cock

right away. The hen brought them up until they were three weeks old,

but the w'eather was very bad and one succumbed. They came out of their

nest too soon, at ten days old. She fed them on bread-and-milk, egg-food,

cockroaches and mealworms. She is just going to nest again (July 2nd).


I have two Cordon Bleus in the nest, and one Silverbill out, bred from

a cock Silverbill and hen fawn Bengali. I have had fertile eggs from a

cock Goldfinch and hen Green Singingfinch, also from a cock Saffron

Finch and hen Canary, but both pairs forsook their nests. The latter are

nesting again, so I am going to put their eggs under a reliable Canary.


I should like to know if St. Helena Waxbills breed freely in aviaries ;

mine are always making large nests. A Zebra Finch hen brought up six

strong young ones in one nest, but unfortunately died, I think of egg-

binding, soon afterwards. Could any ot the members tell me if maggots

are injurious to Cordon Bleus and other birds bringing up their young ?


M. C. Hawke.



The following reply was sent to the Hon. M. C. Hawke :


The St. Helena Waxbill is a very free uester,—and will rear its young

in good sized aviaries, but not usually in small places. During the summer,

at any rate, it does better in every way out-of-doors.


It is my own opinion that maggots may be very injurious to Cordon

Bleus, as they are heating, more so even than mealworms. I think Cordons

are better without either. But I may be quite wrong, and invite other

members to give their experiences. Reginald PhillippS.



THE BLACK-BREASTED OR RAIN QUAIL.


Sir, — W ill you be good enough to let me know how to treat a pair of

Quails I have recently purchased, and which are now being advertised by

the dealers under the names of Black-throated or Indian Pigmy Quail.

Having no outside convenience, I am compelled to keep them in an inside

aviary, with an area of about 12 feet by 8 feet.


I find them extremely wild and shy ; and they remain under cover of

a small bundle of hay and branches thrown into a corner of the aviary for

their shelter.



