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The following reply was sent to Mr. Speed :—


1. The best “ meating-off” food for Bullfinches is privet berries:

give them plentj' of these, and scatter crushed hemp and other mixed

seeds about on the floor. Gradually diminish the hemp and privet berries.


2. They are best kept for the first month, at least, in box cages (i.e.:

those which only open in front). Food should be scattered on the floor

as well as placed in a dish. Both food and water dishes should be inside the

cage. The cage should, for the first few days, be placed in a semi-dark

position, and during that time they should be left very quiet. If you have

an old cage Bullfinch you can put in with them, so much the better. After

they are meated-off it matters little whether they are kept in a cage or an

aviary, of course they shew themselves off best in the latter.


3. The same remarks apply equally well to Goldfinches, except that


they don’t require privet berries, though if supplied they will eat them.

The hemp should not be diminished much, but they should have free

access to other seeds. After about a fortnight the hemp need not be

crushed. J. Lewis Bonhote.



RUFFS.


Sir, —Referring to Messrs. Hett’s and Bonhote’s letters, as I have

kept Ruffs and Reeves more than once in past days, perhaps a few words

further about them may be of interest.


I found them very easy to feed: game meal, crissel, ants’ eggs,

preserved yolk of egg (for these birds better than fresh)—nearly any soft

food mixture will do, but the plainer the better, for they quickly ]ay on fat.

In ordinary weather I give short (comparatively) billed birds of this kind

simply the leavings from the insectivorous birds’ saucers, with an occasional

mealworm.


The Ruffs, in the spring, are a great nuisance, charging madly and

without cessation at every small and timid ground-bird in their aviary. I

have had a Woodcock permanently and two or three Snipes fatally injured

by being frightened into reckless flight; and eventually I had to part with

the Ruffs, but not without regret. The tiny Rock Quails were sometimes too

much for them : squatting like a stone, and on the path from preference,

they would wait until the Ruff was nearly on them, when they would

spring sideways about a foot; again and again would the Ruff turn and

charge, only to be foiled each time in the same manner, until, quite crest¬

fallen, the bully would pretend he had an engagement elsewhere and would

hurry away after more taiigible quarry. They gave me the appearance

of being cowards, for they never charged home at birds that stood their

ground, a look being sufficient to turn them off in another direction.


The Reeves (females) are charming little things, quiet and peaceful,

and for most of the year every whit as pretty as their lords; diligently and

silently they quarter over the ground, picking the smallest insects off the

blades of grass without perceptibly causing them to shake ; when we sat

in the garden they would come feeding around us as tame as chickens, but

infinitely more graceful.


For two j'ears running one of my Reeves nested, sitting, however,

very timidly; some of the eggs were partially hatched, but the first year

were destroyed by the male, the second probably by the Purple-headed Glossy

Starlings. As with other polygamous birds, either several females should



