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absorbent and deodorising, and when removed from the aviary

makes valuable manure for the garden.


A friend of mine has just told me an astonishing tale

about a murderous young cock Canary of his. This little wretch

was kept in a large cage with five brothers and sisters—all

being about the same age, and most of them nest-fellows of the

murderer. One by one he killed off the whole five—striking

each of them but one blow on the head, which produced almost

instant death. On careful examination, a tiny hole was found in

the skull of one of the victims, caused by the fratricidal beak ;

and it is supposed that the rest were similarly injured. The

story may seem difficult of belief, but I can vouch for the bona

/ides of my informant.


Last year, and again this year, the Crystal Palace Show

opened to the public at two o’clock on Friday. I do not know

how this new arrangement commends itself to exhibitors, but

personally I dislike it extremely. Formerly, Saturday of the

Costal Palace Show was the great annual re-union of avi-

culturists, and one was certain to meet one’s friends there. Now,

some go on Friday and some on Saturday—the people who

especially wish to meet go on different days—and there is

disappointment.


May I be allowed to take this opportunity of suppliment-

ing my notes on “food” which appeared in the Magazine for

January? Spratt's Game Meal is sold in two forms—one with

shell and one without. Unless otherwise ordered, that with

shell is supplied. The shell appears to be finely powdered

oyster shell, and is no doubt useful in the case of Pheasants, for

which the Game Meal is principally intended. But when used

as a food for insectivorous birds the shell may sometimes be

dangerous. Some time ago, I had two cases of haemorrhage

from the intestines, in my bird-room, which I attributed, rightly

or wrongly, to the use of meal containing shell. Since then I

have been careful to order it without shell. I always use less of

the Game Meal than of any of the three other ingredients in the

soft-food mixture I recommended. I find that, if too much be

added to the mixture, the other things are picked out and the

meal left. I am not sure whether the meal might not, with

advantage, be omitted altogether—though this would add to the

cost of the food, as the meal is the cheapest ingredient. The

value of crissel as a bird food is only just beginning to be

recognised—I am disposed to place it very high.



