and we can strongly recommend it to all our members who are

lovers of wild bird-life. We do not hesitate to say that the book

before us will prove to be what its Author would' have it — " An

aid to identification without slauofhter."



CORRESPONDENCE.



THE CHINESE ZOSTEROPS.


The ti-eatnient which I have adopted for this species differs somewhat

from that advocated by Dr. Butler in his interesting article which appears

this month, and I think that it may be useful to some of our readers if I

venture to supplement his remarks by some of my own.


Dr. Butler refers to some unnamed persons who cooped these birds

up in small cages, did not permit them to bathe, and fed them on milk-sop

and grocer's currants — and he rightly condemns such treatment. I must

<:onfess that I never before heard of Zosterops being so treated. I think it

ought to be pointed out that milk-sop, properly prepared with boiled milk,

and unsweetened, is an excellent food for Zosterops and other Honey-eating

birds, though they require in addition some mixture containing egg and

ants' eggs, and plenty of ripe fruit. I have had my l)ird for nearly a j'ear,

and feed him on milk-sop ; a mixture of sponge cake, Abrahams' egg, and

soaked ants' eggs ; and fruit. The fruit is usually banana, which I consider,

on the whole, to be the most iiseful and wholesome fruit for all birds; but

just now, while pears are in season, he more often has pear. He is very

fond of mealworms, and I think that in strict moderation they are beneficial,

or at any rate harmless.


My specimen inhabits a small bird-room aviar^' in company with a

Blue Sugar-bird, a Cordon bleu, a Blackcap, and some other birds — they

should have plenty of room and frequent baths, but they are not singular

in these requirements, and I see no reason to suppose that they would suffer

more from being confined in a small cage than any other active bird of the

same size.


Horatio R. Fii<i,mer.



NOTES ON THE NESTING OF THE CHINESE QUAII,.

Sir, — I was particularly interested in Mr. Seth-Smith's letter upon

this subjedl: as it shows me that I am not the only unlucky one as regards

this species.


My Chinese Quails did not begin to lay until the end of March, and

soon after they started my larger Doves commenced fighting over

their nest — a shallow depression scratched in the earth and scantily lined

with grass and scraps of fern. This naturally frightened the sitting hen,

who laid one or two eggs on the floor in the opposite corner of the aviary.

I picked the eggs ixp, placed them in the nest, and did my best to screen it

off with extra twigs : but it was of no use, for the Crested Pigeons, Bronze-

wings and a male Bar-shouldered Dove were always at war, and in their

struggles soon trampled down the twigs and broke or bruised all the eggs,

thus putting an end to ray hopes for this year.



