Correspondence.



72



and it was found had laid an egg. Unfortunately the bird became worse

later and died. I was ill at the time and did noc see the egg (which got

broken soon after it was laid) ; hut niv birdman told me it was pure white,

rather larger than the egg of a Parson Finch, and much more slender and

pointed. I did not even know the Whydalis were nesting, though I once

saw the cock making a strange sort of love dance. Dr. Russowr^ raised one

young bird, but he regrets he missed observing the appearance of the eggs.

jMy cock Whydah caught cold and died a day or two after the hen.


In the same aviary I have a cock Green Singing-finch, and a hen

English Goldfinch. These two birds have nested together twice this

summer. The first time four or five eggs were laid. They were greyish,

with dark red blotches. This nest was destroyed by some other bird, and

the eggs broken. One egg that I had transferred to a Canary failed to hatch.

The second attempt was more successful, three young birds being hatched.

Of these, two are now larger than the Green Singing-fincli. At present

they are in size and shape very like the young hen Chaffinches, but they look

like making handsome birds later on. The other nestling, which was the

finest of the three, unfortunately got drowned just after it had left the

nest.


The first nest was built within a few inches of the nest of a Violet

Dove, and both birds sat at the same time in perfect harmony. Both the

Goldfinch and Green Singing-finch were most careful parents, and in

consequence the young birds are very strong and healthy.


Rosie Aederson.


Since writing the above the birds have developed orange chins and

foreheads, and also yellow in the wings. One of them can already sing

very sweetly. R. A.



THE INDIAN RODDER AND THE SNAKE, OR, THE

BITER BIT.


1 he Rev. Hubert D. Astley, Jrom his villa in Italy, recently wrote to out

Hon. Secretary as folloivs :


During my absence, my Indian Roller was nearly devoured by a

snake.


One night at 9.30, it was heard making a great clamour, and banging

wildly about the aviary. My man (an Italian) went out, and there was a

large snake, about three feet long, twining up the rustic perches and

hissing with head erect.


I hey say it is a venomous kind. The Roller has had his revenge;

he has eaten several pieces of him to-day!


1 he snake is blackish with sharply defined and minute yellow

speckles and lines all over. The under-parts plain wliitisli-yellow. The



