Hybrid Wigeon.



15



HAND-REARED v. WILD-CAUGHT BIRDS.


By Allen Silver.


I do not collect eggs now, but for years have continuously

gone nesting. We seldom, if ever, take either eggs or young. Earlier

in life I got together a good representative collection of local species,

and of course reared by hand the young of many British birds. Now

for reference I can examine collections, and prefer to deal with

caught birds rather than have the tie of hand-rearing. The only

advantage in hand-rearing is that you can retain “ pets,” but a pet

bird is inclined to lose the charm of its natural contour—an attraction

(at any rate to me) usually shown by a steadied wild bird. Tame

birds are almost useless as show specimens. They usually act the

fool and want to fight, and consequently spoil their qualities whilst

being judged.


I have in my possession a cock Goldfinch with a white

<l blaze,” i.e. no red on head. This is the second of this kind I

have had. I expect, however, it will eventually have one. The other

one produced a palish blaze the second year. Wild Goldfinches will

soon be losing their light wing-tips and tail-tips now. When they

have reared two broods like other birds they become very worn out

and dowdy.



HYBRID WIGEON.


By W. Shore-Baily.


I am sending you photos of some hybrid Chili x English

Wigeon that I thought might possibly be of interest. The curious

thing about these birds is their almost exact resemblance to the

American Wigeon or Baldpate. The portrait of this bird, in

Thorburn’s recently-published work, might well have been drawn

from either of the Ducks shown in the photograph. No doubt it

would be easy to find differences between these hybrids and the

American bird if both were examined when in the hand, but the only

difference noticeable when they are upon the water—and that, too,

at but a few yards’ distance—is the larger space covered with rich



