80 Correspondence.



Titmouse. It was fastened down by a piece of stringy material round

above and between the toes of one foot. I did my best, but cut the hind

toe nearly off. The next day the bird was dead on the ground, about ten

yards from the nest, with one wing broken, probably owing to my clumsiness.


Last year I found a Linnets’ nest of the ordinary size, with three song

Thrushes’ eggs embedded in the material, two at the bottom and one at the

side, just showing through. The Linnet was sitting on four of her own

eggs at the time. I think some small boy must have put them there when

the nest was partly made. If so, the wonder is that the Linnet did not

desert.


I have found here a Marsh Tits’ nest with nine eggs in it, and a Turtle

Doves’ with three eggs. Doves’ nests are very flimsy things, and daylight

can be seen through them, but sometimes it is quite impossible to tell

whether there are any eggs in them or not without climbing up to see, as

eggs and daylight look just the same from about 15 feet below.


H. L. Sich.



A FEATHER-PICKING SHAMA.


Sir,— My Shama has for the last fortnight or so been picking out the

feathers on the top of the wings and shoulders, and picks at himself a

great deal, especially in the evenings. I caught him this morning, and

found that all the skin looks red, but could not see any insects. However,


I dusted him with a little Keating's. He is in a wooden cage, and kept

very clean. • He washes well every day, and otherwise is perfectly healthy,

although he is not singing much. He moulted well in August.


He is fed on egg, a food mixture, a little raw meat, and two or three

mealworms per day. M. E. StanyFORTh.


T/ie follozving zeply was sent to Mrs. Stanyforth :


When it is quite dark, some two hours after sunset, take a good light

and, if necessary, a magnifying glass, and carefully examine the cage. If

there are insects, you will see them running about.


Should there be insects, and the symptoms you describe are those of

red mite, get some common soft soap, and, with the soft soap as bought, fill

up all the chinks and crevices in the cage. Every night, rub the cage well

over with a good sized piece of rag which has been soaked in paraffin.


If the bird is healthy, usually it is uot necessary to touch them ; if

you should do anything, a little extract of quassia in the bathing (not

drinking) water will probably be quite sufficient.


A Shama kept in a cage in the house all through the year very often

takes to plucking its feathers from irritation of the skin. This is caused by

injudicious feeding in some form, usually by too high living. You cannot



