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apparantly none the worse for it — yet no one would nowadays recouunend

such a diet for babies.


Birds like the Blackcap and the Garden Warbler, both of which feed

larojel}- on berries and fruit, would be much more likely to digest bread

than birds which live entirely on insects; and the same applies to a smaller

extent to the Nightingale, Avhich is also in some degree an eater of berries.

The Liothrix. the Blackbird, and the Jays will, as is well known, live on

anj'thing — the Nuthatch is almost equally omnivorous, while the Tanagers

are mainly fruit-eaters. Therefore scarcely any of the birds mentioned by Dr.

Butler come within the meaning of the expression used by Mr. Fulljames —

" the most delicate of the insectivorous birds."


Septimus Perkins.



Sir, — I have been asked to reply to Dr. Butler's criticism upon my

letter in the Aviciiltmal Magazine for Januar}^


My statement that Nightingales could not digest breadcrumbs was

based upon the fact that, during an experience of nine or ten 5-ears, the

Nightingale which I now have, and which is singing from dajdight tintil

the gas is turned out at night, is the on!}- one I have ever been able to keep

through the autumn.


About ten years ago I began with two Nightingales, and fed them on

a mixture somewhat resembling that mentioned b}' Dr. Butler in " British

Birds, their Nests and Eggs." Both died just as I was expecting them to

come into song. I have had never less than one Nightingale each season since

then, but they have all died before Christmas in each 3-ear. I sent the last

two bodies iov post-inortem, and the report was that the birds had died from

some disease (with a I^atin name reaching across the page), induced in the

first stages by indigestion, consequent upon the birds having been supplied

with food which contained breadcrumbs and peameal.


My existing bird has had, since he has been with me, which is since

the Cr3'stal Palace Show of 1897, nothing but ants'-cocoons and insects, and

his condition at the recent Show of 1898 was, I think, sufficient justification

of the treatment. He was singing in his cage during the vShow, and held,

at times, quite a levee.


Dr. Butler's referring me to " British Birds, their Nests and Eggs" was

scarcely a happy thought on his part, for I thereby gather that of the five

birds he took from the nest in 1S87 three died in about two xnonths, and the

fourth and fifth within eighteen months, and he does not mention having

tried to keep a Nightingale since. Might I suggest that the presumed

" sunstrokes " were Ji(s consequent upon injudicious feeding ? Anywa)', a

Nightingale will have nothing but strictly insectivorous food with me.


Henrv J. FUIXJAMES.



In connection with the alleged injurious effects of honey on captive

birds, it is worth mentioning that I have been informed that Mr. Richard,

a member of our Societ}% has kept two specimens of the Yellow-winged

Sugar Bird {Ccereha cyanea) for some 5'ears, in perfect health and plumage,

and that these birds have been largely fed on honey — a section of honey in

the comb being almost always in their cage.


Horatio R. Fii,i,mer.



