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same place as ants’ eggs do in England. I believe the Italians call them

“ dried silkworms,” but of course they are the pupae or chrysalides of the

silkworm, killed with boiling water, and then the silken cocoon removed.


I understand that the}' are to be obtained everywhere in Italy at about id.

per lb. — Lucky Italians! I feel sure they would prove an extremely useful

addition to the English soft-bill fanciers’ larder, if we could get a sufficient

supply. John Frostick.


[The food is quite new to me ; and I thank Mr. Frostick for bringing

it to our notice, and forwarding me a sample. I crumbled it up with my

fingers, and offered it to some of my birds, but they did not seem to care for

it very particularly. However, this is no argument against the food, as we

should treat our birds as a sensible mother does her children — give what is

good for them, not necessarily what they like. Moreover, I fear that my

birds are a little pampered. Besides, any such food should be mixed with

the general supply, and not given separately. The only real objection to

the food that I could see was that the core of each pupa is now a solid hard

lump, too large for ordinary birds to swallow, and too hard to be readily

broken up. If it were not for these lumps, I should certainly recommend

this Italian food, and endeavour to obtain a supply for my own use. I did

not try, but perhaps soaking the lumps in water might make the food

more suitable for our insectivorous pets. — R. P.


YOUNG BIRDS FEEDING YOUNG OF THE SAME BROOD.


A brood of seven young Zebra-finches recently left the nest in my

aviary, some coming out several days before the others. I was much in¬

terested on June 15th to see some of the elder young ones, still with black

bills, and only very recently able to feed themselves, feeding their younger

brothers and sisters as they clamoured for food, exactly as the parents fed

them. I watched them doing so several times. It would be interesting to

know if others of our members have noticed similar cases. One has heard

of young Thrushes feeding their younger brethren, but I have never

before heard of young foreign finches doing so. D. Seth-Smith.



THE COMMON QUAIL.


Sir, — I have had a Quail sent to me, and should be glad to know

what kind it is. I enclose a few feathers. There is a double dark stripe

down the back : the feathers uuder the wing are very light, and the breast

is speckled. Grace Ashford.



The following reply was sent to Miss Ashford :


It is extremely difficult to identify a Quail by a few feathers from the

body of the bird. I took your letter with enclosure to the Natural

History Museum, to-day, and consulted Mr. Ogilvie Grant, the great

authority on Game-birds.


His verdict is, that your bird is, undoubtedly, a hen of the Common

Quail ; and he proved this to my satisfaction, by comparing the feathers

with those on prepared skins of that species. A. G. BuTEER.



