46



CORRESPONDENCE.



THE CHINGOLO SONG-SPARROW fZonotrichia pileata) , bodd.


Sir, — I have some birds which I cannot identify. The following is a

description. Can you tell me what they are ?


Size of Bramble Finch; shape similar. Colour, — back, wings and

tail similar to Hedge Accentor, but rather lighter and richer brown ; wing

coverts tipped with white ; ash-coloured stripe from bill over crown of head,

with a line of black each side of it, then another ash-coloured line from bill

over the eyes ; a black line from eves to beyond the eais ; cheeks ash, with

another black line underneath ; throat white, shading off to dirty white on

abdomen ; chestnut round back of neck, ending abruptly each side upper

part of breast with a black spot; raises a crest as much as a Skylark ; and

scratches in sand or seed like a Whvdali; eyes and beak black.


C. P. Arthur.



Reply.



The Chingolo Song-Sparrow is a native of South and Central

America, where it is quite a well-known and common bird ; it is, however,

I believe, only occasionally imported in mixed lots of small Finches, chiefly'

from Argentina. A few came over in very rough condition this year, but I

never before knew the bird to be offered in the London market, though it

must have come from time to time.



It is very pretty, though not gaudy in colouring; fond of washing

like most of the American Buntings (to which group it belongs), somewhat

masterful towards other birds; its crest is frequently raised, which adds to

its beauty, and its' Whydah-like habit of shutting backwards in the seed-

pan is interesting. A. G. BuTi.hr.



GOULDIAN FINCHES.


Sir. — On the iSth July'a pair of Blackheaded Gouldiau Finches, in

one of my outdoor aviaries, were seen carrying grass bents, &c., into a box

under the roof, in which, on more than one occasion, a pair of Trumpeter

Bullfinches had nested, and reared young in previous years. After a few

days, seeing that little progress was made, I hung up a cocoa-nut husk,

and supplied the little birds with plenty of nesting material, which was at

once made use of. After being much from home I returned on August 25th

and found that young birds had been heard in the nest for several days. In

Spite of drenching storms of rain, and a very 7 low temperature, two young

were eventually reared, and in the second week in September were safely

caged with their parents, and taken into the house. Two addled eggs were

left in the nest. During the time that the old ones were feeding their

young, their usual diet of millet, canary seed and spray millet, and flowering

grasses, was supplemented b_v yolk of egg and ants’ eggs, but I never could

see that these were taken. The young were, I believe, entirely reared on

half-digested seed, and the flowers and half-ripe seeds of various kinds of

grasses and chick weed. The cock bird took almost entire charge of the

young, during the day at least, feeding them quite five times to every single

visit of the hen bird. As soon as the young began to fly, the lieu showed

evident signs of going to nest again ; and a pair of Redheads with them

were also stimulated by her example, and began to carry material about.

But in view of the miserable weather, and the rapidly' shortening days, I

thought it prudent to take them all into the house during the middle of

September. W. H. St. Ouintin.



A GIFT TO THE SOCIETY.


Sir, —With the view of spreading a knowledge of aviculture, and of

benefiting the funds of the Society 7 , and understanding that others may be

willing to follow my example, either by' Will or Gift: —


I hereby make a present of a pair of Barnard’s Parrakeets ( Platycercus



