oasis are adorned (?) with half a dozen or more big ronnd bristly balls of

rubbish, looking at a little distance like so many strange fruits ; presumably

the Tower itself and the giant warehouses near by do not offer the necessary

holes and corners, so Mr. Sparrow is obliged to take to the trees ; and when

one considers that the material available for building consists of more or

less dirty straw, with say about ten per cent, of string, paper, rags, and

shavings mixed, and an occasional pigeon's feather, it must be acknowledged

that the result is a highlj' creditable production. Finish, of course, there is

none; but the way in which the bird gets a start with such unpromising

material, making the nest not infrequently among thin twigs near the top

of the tree, is reall}' clever ; and the fact that it takes some six or seven

months of wind and weather to demolish it after it is done with, speaks

well for the strength with which it must be woven together. This type of

Sparrow's nest is common enough, it is true, but the number that one sees

together at the Tower, and elsewhere in the cit}', makes it particularly

striking.


H. C. Martin.



THE YEIvIvOW-FRONTED AMAZON.


Sir, — Having recently purchased a Yellow-fronted Amazon Parrot,

and not being very well up in the Fsittacidce, I should be glad of a little

information on the following points : — ■


Are the sexes distinguishable, and is there anj-thing to choose

between them as far as talking powers are concerned }


Is the Yellow-fronted Amazon as apt a scholar as the Blue-fronted

and other species, aiul after how long can one reasonably expect a newly

imported bird to make any attempt at speech, i.e., when everj' encourage-

ment is offered .''


The bird in question sneezes and coughs rather often, and, after

feeding, seems to get dull, half closing its eyes and ruffling its feathers ;

there is also, occasionally, a watery discharge at the nostrils ; does this

indicate the existence of pneumonia, or is it merel}^ a cold 1


Any information will be much appreciated by


H. C. Martin.



The foUoTving 7-eply zvas sent to Mr. Martin : —


I have been desired to answer 5'our letter. I think the male Yellow-

fronted is as good a talker as the Blue-fronted Amazon, but I doubt an old

and untaught bird learning to speak. A young one should begin to say

something within two or three months of importation.


The males have, I think, a larger yellow cap than the females, [g)


The bird, I think, has a cold. I should keep it warm, and give it

chillies, and, if it eats sop, put a few drops of Tabasco sauce with it.


F. G. Button.



[g] I niav be mistaken, but I think the sexes differ in the colour of the iris.— A. G.



