1S6 Correspondence.



bitterly cold with heavy showers, but the birds appeared to be thoroughly

enjoying themselves in the trees, and were in very nice feather, excepting

of course the clipped wing. This was the first time I had ever seen Grey

Parrots in freedom, so I was naturally very interested.


H. Speed.



THE PIN-TAILED WHYDAH.


Vidua principalis.


Sir, — I should be so glad if you could give a little advice in the

Avicultural Magazine on the treatment and feeding of Wliydalis.


I have a pair, bought at different times, that I put together in a large

aviarv-cage indoors. They agreed perfectly for many weeks, when the cock

turned spiteful, and would I feared have killed the hen, so I separated

them by a wire division ; and for many weeks they have lived peaceably in

adjoining compartments. But, during the last two days, his spiteful fit has

returned, and they mutually fight through the bars, both with outstretched

wings and with angry sounding notes. I can find no history of them in

any of the Avicultural Magazines—and I have them all—fori am an original

member of the old Society, and have a large number of birds.


I feed them on Indian millet, white millet, and canary seed. They

are both very healthy and lively. They are not Paradise Wliydalis, but the

kind with Skylark markings and a dark tail. The cock is only two years

old I believe, and has not a very long tail but it is getting on.


B. Mortimer.


The folloioing reply was sent to Mrs Mortimer:


If j’our birds are the Pin-tailed Whydah, the male is almost invariabl} r

an exceptionally vicious and spiteful creature, not always at first, but

getting worse and worse as he grows older and more accustomed to his

surroundings, attacking almost every inmate of the aviary that he dares to,

besides the males of his own kind. In a large aviary, however, he usually

pursues his own and the females of other species, with comical aerial

dance, mote from love than spite; for these birds in the wild state have

many wives, who nest in the long grass in open spaces, whilst he goes

dancing about in the air above them. The female has never given me any

trouble when loose in the aviary.


The only treatment for the male that I can suggest is to keep him b} r

himself, or with large birds which will not stand his nonsense.


In a cage, the male Pin-tailed Whydah is rather w T asted, as his great

attraction is his dancing on the wing in the open aviary.


It is a very simple feeder, the seeds you mention being quite sufficient,

but you might add spray millet.



