10



Mr. James J. Cash,



about half an hour’s ride on the way to Bournemouth, was at least

at one time a noted place for birds. Of course the New Forest is

near. There is a museum of British birds at Christchurch, and I

believe a great number are claimed as local captures. I have heard

something about the Crossbill breeding not many miles away.


I lost my Jay by death this week ; it screamed very loudly

one night, and since then it had intermittently strong convulsive

seizures, rallied remarkably one night and next morning, but

relapsed and eventually died. I left it at night very collapsed and

in the morning it was dead. I never noticed it plucking itself,

but for several years it seemed to be stripped on the breast too

early in the year for Nature. I have a Magpie, a hen, which is

very lively and energetic ; as far as I can see the Magpie is of a more

inquiring nature than the Jay. It seems to think more, although

the Jay no doubt is cunning, but the expression on the faces of the

two birds is strikingly different. The Jay looks surprised, the

Magpie modest. The Magpie laid six eggs last year, and several

the previous one ; I have seen none this year. No eggs, either,

from any of my birds this year that I can recall, although they seem

in very good condition. I have a pair of Blackbirds at large in the

bird-house; the hen has built a nest, but I do not know of any eggs.

I have had all my birds for some years. The cock Combassou (I

have only one of that species) is still practically in full colour. The

Avadavat is nearly in eclipse, and the Grey Waxbill which I have had

now from four to five years is bright and strong. A number of

my birds are hand-reared by myself almost entirely, the smallest one

being a hen Hedge-Sparrow.


Later.— The hen Blackbird has since laid two eggs. While

I was away, she escaped, and was not recaptured, and now appears

to be missing.



THE VALUE OF BIRD LIFE.


By James J. Cash.


The importance of the article by the Editor in the June

number under the heading “What did we do in the Great War?”

should not be lost sight of. The value to mankind of bird life is very



