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A NEW METHOD OF DISTINGUISHING SEX.


Sir, —Being interested in the articles in the Magazine referring to

the distinction of sexes in birds, and knowing how difficult it is to distinguish

some of them, I should like to bring to your notice a method of which I

have just heard, and seen tested.


It is as follows :—Take a piece of thread i6in. or iSin. long, and with

it thread a needle, and take hold of the ends of the thread between the

thumb and finger and let the point of the needle hang over a silver coin,

say a half-crown piece ; let the point of the needle be about one-eighth of

an inch from the coin, then take hold of the bird, pigeon, cat, or other

animal or bird with the other hand, and if the animal is a male the needle

will swing across the coin ; but if a female it will go round the coin.*


W. Oakey.



A RARE FOREIGN FINCH.


Sir,— Most aviculturists are familiar with the name, if not with the

living reality, of the Chingolo Song-Sparrow (Zonotrichia pileata) ; but

probably few, if any, have seen the allied Grey-headed Song-Sparrow

(Z. canicapilla) in the flesh.


On June 25th a specimen of this rare Patagonian bird was brought to

me by Captain Carvosso, a gentleman who, from time to time, has collected

many interesting things during his journeys to and from Australia. This

bird had flown on board when the ship was a hundred miles to the south of

Cape Horn, and he brought it to me to see whether I could tell him where

it came from and what it was. I recognized it, at a glance, as a Song-

Sparrow nearly allied to Z. pileata ; but its unstriped crown and pale amber

coloured irides struck me at once as very distinct features.


Capt. Carvosso kindly gave me this bird, so that I might have an

opportunity of studying it in captivity, but with the proviso that, at its

death, it should be added to the National Collection if the authorities cared

to accept it. Unhappily, this pretty bird was out of condition although in

tolerably perfect plumage. I took it home and turned it into a flight-cage

four feet in length, but it would swallow nothing but grit at first (of which

it was probably in need), it was far too tame to please me, flew heavily, and

only swallowed a few grains of canary-seed before going to roost. I tried

to tempt it with mealworms and cockroaches, and when it erected its crest

and hopped after one of the latter insects I hoped I might pull it round,

but it turned away again and flew heavily up to a perch.


In the morning I found this interesting bird dead, and took it with

me to the Museum where it will be preserved.


A. G. BuTEER.



* This is what is, or used to be, called Animal Magnetism. Similar experiments are

described in a little known work called Human Electricity : the means of its develop¬

ment,” by J. O. N. Rutter, F.R.A.S., published so long ago as 1854. It would seem that

this obscure subject has been little studied of late years.—E d.



