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The result of my limited experience of Tanagers certainly confirms

my original opinion that the greed, filthiness and delicacy of Tanagers are

due to the mistaken notion that they ought to be kept in cramped little

cages surrounded by a variety of food in large quantities ; no opportunity

being given to the unhappy captive even to wash itself, however sticky and

grimy it may feel. Would not similar treatment soon convert the healthiest

and most vigorous bird into a hopeless invalid ? I think so.


A. G. BuTrer.



DETERMINING THE SEX OF PARROT FINCHES.


Sir, —As I have given some attention to this point of late, I was very

much interested in Mr. Savage’s remarks. I have two Parrot Finches

which I think I may call an undoubted pair, though they have not bred

with me. The legs and the feet of the hen are decidedly lighter in colour

than those of the cock.


The difficulty of distinguishing the sexes by simple inspection, as for

instance when judging at a Show, has been well illustrated by my birds.

They were exhibited at the Palace by Mr. Osbaldeston, to whom at that

time they belonged, and Dr. Butler, whose skill and experience are

indisputable, in critizing my awards called them “an undoubted pair—

though the cock was less brilliant in colour, and the hen had not by any

means attained her full colouring.” I afterwards purchased the birds and

they have certainly turned out an “undoubted pair,” only Dr. Butler had

sexed each bird w r rongly.


The bird which had not attained its full colouring, moulted in April

and became very much more brilliant, deeper and richer in colour than its

mate, the red colouring of the head extends further in every direction and

the legs are decidedly darker in colour. The lieu bird (which Dr. Butler

sexed as the cock) is a trifle larger, duller and paler in colour, has a less

extent of red colouring, and lighter coloured legs and feet. This bird, like

Mr. Savage’s, “remains mute” while the cock has a “ prett}^ little note.”


The sexual differences, therefore, between my birds corroborate Mr.

Savage’s observations in almost every detail. C. S. Simpson.



WAXBIDDS IN A MADEIRAN AVIARY.


Sir,—P erhaps some of your readers would be interested to hear a

little more about the inhabitants of my aviaries.


Unfortunately, I cannot yet claim to have been successful in breeding

the Violet-eared Waxbills. One of the two pairs that I let loose in the

aviary, as mentioned in my last letter, built at once and the hen laid two

eggs. They deserted that nest and began another ; this time they

worked very hard, and so completely covered in the nest that it was

impossible to see how many eggs were laid. The two birds sat steadily and

I was quite hopeful about them ; in about fifteen days, however, I noticed

them both flying about, and that they never went near the nest, which I

then took out and examined. I found one dead young one, evidently

several days old, and I am afraid the reason this (and also the former nest)

was deserted was that it was disturbed by other birds.


My aviaries are, unfortunately, much too crowded—I have sixty-four

different kinds of birds, about two hundred and twenty in all—but we are

putting up two good-sized new ones, and I hope soon to be able to spare



