273



BREEDING HYBRIDS.


Sir, — Perhaps Miss Hawke may be interested by my experience with

Saffron-finches and Canaries.


I once had a cock Saffron paired with a hen Canary, and a most

devoted couple they appeared to be, but all the eggs were barren. Imagine,

then, my delight when I saw a young bird in the nest one day, and

especially when I perceived both the old birds feeding it.


My joy, however, was damped when, as the hybrid grew up, I found

that it was not the rara avis I had thought, but a common, uninteresting

Greenfinch - Canary mule! There were several cock Greenfinches and

some more hen Canaries in the aviary, but I had never noticed any of

the former paying attention to the Saffron’s mate, who appeared to be

devoted to her handsome spouse. Nevertheless and notwithstanding, the

facts are as here related ; but, although many other nests from the same

pair followed in after years, there never was a fertile egg in any of them, so

that hybrid must have been an accident after all; perhaps another hen

Canary laid the egg from which it was hatched. W. T. Greene.



Referring to the notice of Mr. Frank Finn’s book on The Birds of

Calcutta, which appeared at page 169, the author asks us to state that it can

now only be obtained from Mr. R. H. Porter (7, Princes Street, Cavendish

Square), and not from Calcutta.



THE SOCIETY’S MEDAL.


The .Society’s Medal has been awarded to the Rev. C. D. Farrar, for

having bred the Many-coloured Parrakeet, Psephotus multicolor, it is believed

for the first time in the United Kingdom.


Mrs. Howard Williams has succeeded in breeding several specimens

of the Ringed Finch, Stictoptera annulosa, as announced at page 239 of our

last issue.


A few Ringed Finches have since been reared by at least one member;

but it is believed that Mrs. Howard Williams’ birds were the first.


Airs. Johnstone has succeeded in breeding two specimens of Barnard’s

Parrakeet, Bamurdius barnardi. No other instance is known of the rearing

of the young of this Parrakeet.


Articles on the successful breeding of these two species are now

published.


The Society proposes to award a Medal to each of these ladies for

having bred these species it is believed for the first time in the United

Kingdom. If any previous instance should be known to any of our mem¬

bers or readers, it is requested that they will be so good as to communicate

at once with the Honorary Secretary.


We have received an article from Miss R. Alderson on the successful

breeding of the White-winged Zenaida Dove, Melopelia leucoptera, which we

hope may be published next month. If any of our members or readers

should know of any previous instance of the breeding of this species in

the United Kingdom, they are requested to communicate with the

Honorary Secretary. It was imported last year in considerable numbers,

and has been called by dealers the Pecunia Dove.



