206 Mr. C. M. Mayor,


a plain diet of millet and canary, and the remembrance of

past luxury.


They evidently mean me to have not even hope next

season, for the hen has developed every symptom of French

moult, and is climbing about the aviary with a very short

allowance of flight and tail feathers*.



THE CHIFFCHAFF AS A CAGE BIRD.


By C. M. Mayor.


This pretty and diminutive Summer migrant is not, I

believe, often seen as a cage-bird. As such, perhaps some people

may think, it has little to recommend it; but, though its song

may not be very pretentious, it is an engaging and very active

little bird, and becomes very tame in the house.


In South Devon the Chiffchaff usually arrives about the

latter end of March, and some few are supposed to stay through

the winter. I have records by a careful observer in this district

for most years since 1879, the earliest date on which he has first

seen or heard the Chiffchaff being March 2nd in 1883, and the

latest April 18th in 1900. It is certainly noticeable that in some

years the bird is much more abundant than in others. In the

Spring of 1893, for instance, we observed abnormally large

numbers about our garden and the lanes of the neighbourhood.

Often in March we experience a combination of hot sun and cold

East wind, and at such times these little birds are very fond of

frequenting the South walls of houses, an examination of which

will generally reveal plenty of flies, sleepy bluebottles, and such

like, enjoying a sunbath. Many of these insects probably fall

a prey to the Chiffcliaffs, and are sometimes pursued right into

the rooms if the windows be open, as we have observed on more

than one occasion.


I11 the Spring of 1891 I found a nest low down in a rough

tangle of bramble by the side of a ditch. It contained six

3'ouugsters, and in a few daj^s, when they were sufficiently


Will Miss Brampton kindly watch, and try and detect if this is not a case of feather¬

eating on the part of the male ?—R. P.



