•38


TliaVe had heavy fogs daily — yet this young hird is one of the strongest I

have seen.


This reminds me I omitted to describe the young in my article in last

jinonth's Magazine. Briefly, tliej^ resemble in colour a light hen Bullfinch.;

.the}' have black beaks— the flesh-coloured legs and feet being the only

points of resemblance to the adult birds ; but at about three months they

assume the full adult plumage.


W. T. Page.



BIRD CAIvLS.


Sir, — Can any member help me to identify two calls heard in August,

this year ? One was "te-te-te," uttered rapidly in a long series without

^variation. It was heard for about a week in the neighbourhood of ni}'

raspberries, but the bird was not seen.* The second was " peewit," uttered

by a bird aboiit the size of a Common Bunting, perched on the top of a

small spruce in my garden ; when alarmed it dropped down into the bushes.

It appeared to be too large for a Lesser Redpoll, but I know of no other bird

^of about the size which uses the call iu question.


Chas. Louis HET'r.



FOOD FOR THE PIN-TAILED NONPAREIL.


Sir, — It has alwaj's been insisted on that, when first imported,

•^rj'/A/-?^/rt^njjzV^« requires paddy-rice (its natural food) in order to bring it

into condition.


On the 19th of February, 1897, I purchased a pair of this species and

was much exercised in my mind as to what I should do, owing to the utter

impossibility of obtaining rice in the ear. I had tried everywhere and

could not get even a sample of this seed. I even asked a friend to enquire

at the docks, but he told me he could not get it, as the demand for it was

insufficient to induce the importers to ship it to England.


Suddenly it occurred to me these birds might possiblj' be induced to

accept oats as a substitute. The result was most satisfactory ; the oats were

eaten with relish and, I believe, with better effect. My hen was out of

'-health when I purchased her, unable to reach her perch excepting by

clambering up the wires ; but she gained strength and, for several month.s;

manaoed to fly up to roost ; then again she became weak, and in August

she died.


The cock bird got well through its autumn moult, and is still in fine

^condition and perfect plumage.


I now use oats instead of paddy-rice for all rice-eating birds, and find


them to do better on them: this is not surprising; for there can be no


doubt that the former seed is far more sustaining and nutritious than the


latter.


, A. G. BU1M.ER.



* This might be the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. One of its notes is much like the

spring call of the Wryneck.— >V. H. St. O.



