Is there any remedy for egg-eating ? I should be much obliged if

any other members of the Avicultural Society could give me any advice on

the subject. Perhaps these birds only do well in a large aviary when nest¬

ing ; but last year a pair of Bronze-wings laid eggs and would have hatched

them out if they had not met with an accident a few days before they were

due to hatch. They were separated from the others and put into a cage by

themselves, and as they did so well I thought the Zebra-finches would do

the same if kept quiet. I feed them myself, and I am very careful not to

disturb them. E. W. Robertson.



The following answer was sent to Mrs. Robertson :


When once these little Grass-finches begin to eat their eggs, I believe

their is no remedy but to get rid of them and buy a fresh pair. I never

had a Zebra-finch which did this, but I have always kept this species in a

tolerably large aviary with many other birds, so that its time was pretty

fully occupied in defending its nest. In an aviary the Zebra-finch breeds

throughout the year, and rarely 7 fails to bring off at least one or two young.


A. G. Butter.


HYBRID PARROT-FINCHES.


Sir,-—A t the Crystal Palace in February, 1899, and at each Bird Show

held there since, as well as at Ba'iham and the Aquarium, one or more pairs

of Parrot-finches were to be seen having a green body, a blue forehead,

and a red throat and tail. These have been constantly spoken of as Tri¬

coloured Parrot-finches.


I should like to point out that this description is not strictly correct.

Of course any 7 bird of three colours may be called tricoloured, but the

species hitherto known as the Tricoloured Parrot-finch \Erythrura trichroa)

has no red throat.


The birds referred to are hybrids, the parents being the male ordinary

Parrot-finch and the female Tricoloured Parrot-finch. This will explain the

non-appearance of the birds in the Cat. Birds Brit. Mus.


L. W. Hawkins.



PARROTS AT THE PALACE.


Sir, — I was glad to read the few interesting remarks in last month’s

Magazine by 7 the Hon. and Rev. F. G. Dutton, and regret having to share

my views with the lion, gentleman that the Parrot classes made an

exceptionally poor show.


One was obliged to ask where were the Birds ; likewise the Exhibitors ?


Whether it was in consequence of the severity of the weather, or the

gloom throughout the country 7 occasioned by 7 the War, are questions that

might be raised.


In my 7 opinion much is attributable to two impediments, viz., exor¬

bitant and unjust Railway charges, and inadequate Prize money 7 ; and until

these matters are rightly adjusted, there is little inducement for those

desiroirs of giving us a good exhibition of the larger Foreign Birds that

must necessarily be shown in serviceable and heavy cages which means a

serious railway expense for long distances, disgusting the Exhibitor at the

close of the Show that he has incurred a balance on the wrong side.



