190 Correspondence.


Virginian Cardinals would probably be able to bold tlieir own ; but

Blue Robins would be tolerably sure to be killed. With the exception of

Doves, I have not found the hens of birds very quarrelsome; but it is

possible that the cock Minins patcigonicus might persecute the hen M.

polyglottus, if his proper mate were also with him ; that you can only

decide by experiment, being at hand to catch out the Northern bird if

necessary.


A. G. Butter.



BREEDING BIRDS IN IMMATURE PLUMAGE.


Sir, —The very interesting account of the breeding of the Satin

Bower-bird in the December number of the Magazine records an instance

of the rather unusual occurrence of a bird breeding in the immature, or

rather perhaps more properly, imperfect, plumage.


These male Bower-birds are described in the article referred to as

being out of colour; but one was gradually assuming his proper dress at

the time that he was assisting at the nesting operations.


Some of the larger birds of prey, which are long-livers, and slow to

attain maturity, breed before assuming the perfectly adult plumage. I

have a photograph before me of an old friend, now 7 dead, taken in Norw'ay,

with a recently-caught female Goshawk seated on bis wrist. This bird was

snared on her nest, and with her brood, brought in from a long distance by

some country people, w'ho had seen an advertisement offering a reward for

young Goshawks for training purposes. The picture clearly shows that

the bird was in the plumage of the second summer. The poor thing w 7 as

almost exhausted for want of food, but by patience and skill my friend

restored her to perfect health, and released her before returning to

England


Though I cannot find the reference, I feel sure that I have read of an

escaped Peregrine (trained) being shot at the nest in the North of Scotland,

with his jesses on, and in the red plumage. I knew myself of a male

Gold-Pheasant which bred in the aviary of a fellow-member of this Society

before coming into colour.


But, as far as my experience goes, these cases are uncommon, and

seem to deserve notice.


W. PI. ST. Quin'xTn.



CONTINENTAL BIRD DEALERS.


.Sir, —Referring to Mrs. Rathborne’s enquiry (p. 149), I enclose

Madame Ilagenbeck’s Price List of Foreign Birds, of date September, 1901,

giving the address of her establishment (see below).


I had the pleasure of a look through Carl Hageubeck’s establish-



