39



was always pleased to show his bird-rooms in the suburbs of Berlin, where

I used to visit him many years ago, as often as I happened to be near Berlin.

He seems to have attained a great age. His writings, especially those relating

to foreign finches, may be a source of useful information and of pleasure to

those who know German. A. F. Wiener.


Note. —We have every hope that, at his leisure, Mr. Weiner will favour us with some

account of the life and work of Dr. Russ, our greatest guide aud pioneer in aviculture,

which would be of much interest to all members of the Society.— Editor.



Sir,—I shall be so glad if any of our members can tell me whether

Moor-liens feed on young fish ? We have stocked our moat with gold-fish,

but although there was plenty of spawn last spring, no young fish have

been seen. We think it may be because a pair of Moor-liens have been

living there very 7 happily all the summer. The moat is surrounded by low

growing bushes, and so makes a delightful home for these birds; but if

they really do eat the young fish, we shall be obliged to cut the bushes back

and so force them to seek other quarters, but of course should not do so if

they are really harmless.


I do not think the attention of our members has been sufficiently

directed to the pleasure to be gained from supplying wild birds with inviting

nesting-places near the house, where they can be watched without disturb¬

ing them.


Last spring, I hung one of the nest-boxes from my aviary in a pear-

tree growing against a wall close to the house ; it was a cosy little affair

covered with virgin cork, and, I hoped, might attract some of the Tits

which used to come to that corner for cocoa-nut. However, about a fort¬

night after it was put up, a pair of Flycatchers took possession of it,

building on the top instead of inside. They were wonderfully 7 tame, feeding

their young ones unconcernedly, even while we sat at tea not more than

half-a-dozen \ 7 ards away. They successfully reared five young birds, aud

confirmed Gilbert White’s opinion that these birds never nest a second time.

I am hoping they will return to the same place next year, as they were

never disturbed.


Pretty little boxes can be made from half a deep cigar box, coated

with glue, and sprinkled with cork-cuttings in which bulbs are packed. My

boxes have lids, which can, on occasion, be opened to give me a peep at the

young birds, but this I should ojily do in the case of Sparrows or, possibly,

Robins. I think Robins, Starlings, Sparrows, and the Tit tribe would be

likely to nest in boxes placed in suitable positions.


It is also very interesting, in winter, to hang up a cocoa-nut with one

end cut off, and to see the Oxeye-, Marsh-, and Cole-Tit returning to it

again and again. Each bird knows exactly who he can turn out of the

coker-nut, and to whom he must give place; aud they pop in and out like

boys “keeping the pot boiling.” E. Brampton.



7 'he following answer was sent to Miss Brampton —


In reply to your query re Moor-liens eating young fish, I do not think

it at all likely that they would in anyway interfere with them. The food of



