Correspondence , Notes, etc.



217



plumage as my bird ; in fact, the resemblance in some cases is quite striking.

How does Mr. Phillipps account for this ?


My Reeves are perfect, and they have the same treatment as the Ruff,

so why should not the same management suit the Ruff equally well ? I

have had one Reeve for about two years, but only procured a Ruff and

another Reeve in May, when it was too late to think about breeding them.


Mr. Phillipps states that the Ruff is an unmitigated nuisance owing to

the way he constantly and unceasingly bullied other ground birds. My bird

seldom attacked any thing else, although kept with Laud and Water Rail,

Porphyrios, Quail, and other ground birds. .Sometimes in a scramble after

those unwholesome worms he will so far forget himself as to give a peck at

some bird who is appropriating more than his fair share. With the Reeves

it is different, he has to assert his authority over them with a firm hand.


The Ruffs at the Zoological Gardens very seldom attempt to molest

anything, and the keeper states that their pugnacity is very much over¬

rated, so I think Mr. Phillipps’ bird must be exceptionally quarrelsome.


To cut a few feathers from one wing is no hardship to the birds, and

although the) 7 can still fly, they do not injure themselves as they would do

if the wings were uncut. It is a question in our cat infested neighbourhood

of a clipped wing or a bleeding scalp, and, personally, I prefer the former.

I really cannot see that it would be any improvement to clip the tips of

both wings when one answers the purpose equally well and is quite in¬

visible.


No doubt it is great presumption on my part to differ from so ex¬

perienced an aviculturist as Mr. Phillipps, but I simply stated my experience.


G. C. Porter.


[Will Mr. Porter be so kind as to read his own Article and my Note a

little more closely. I may add, to make my meaning more clear, that I do

not suggest that it is not often necessary to cut the wings of a ground bird.

There are many advantages in shortening both wings evenly. Amongst

others, such a bird can still fly evenly, prettily, and happily, which the bird

with one wing cannot.


I do not know if the Ruffs at the Zoological Gardens are pinioned.

If they are (I do not say that they are), that will be sufficient to account for

their quietness and late moulting. As Mr. Porter’s Ruff has had one wing

cut, and has been in his possession not longer than since last May, not even

passed a spring with him, he has not yet had time to observe the character

of the bird.


I am in great hopes that Mr. St. Quintin will shortly give us an

account of his Ruffs and Reeves, which “ have never seen a mealworm . . .

the males go in and out of colour to the full extent, and at the proper

season.”—R. P.]



