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^successfully rear a young bird in an English aviary in January, when insect-

food must have been exceedingly scarce, if not entirely absent, and when

the temperature was surely far below that ever experienced by these birds

when wild.


It would seem from the foregoing that this species might breed freely

in captivity if located in suitable outdoor aviaries. A pair in my possession

appeared anxious to nest last Spring, very soon after I obtained them, and

when they could hardly have been caught more than a few weeks. I shall

hope to succeed in breeding them this Spring. The male very frequently

utters his song during the breeding season, and I have sometimes heard it

quite late at night. Presumably the male of the pair at the “ Zoo ” must

have commenced his spring song some time before Christmas; mine is now

(March 4th) just conimencing his. D. Seth-Smith.


[At the time of writing the above I had not had an opportunity of

-seeing the supposed young Bunting, but, having noticed with interest the

report of its arrival, in the official list of additions to the Society’s collection

(a copy of which appeared in the last number of this Magazine), had

corresponded with the Keeper of the Western Aviary, on the subject, and

had thus obtained all available information.


I have since visited the Gardens, and viewed the supposed 3 r oung

Bunting from a distance of some ten or twelve feet, the nearest approach it

would allow, and have now little doubt that the attendants at the aviar}' have

been entirely mistaken in their identification of this bird, and that the

Buntings have never bred at all.


The bird which is supposed to be a young Black-headed Bunting is, in

iny humble opinion, nothing more or less than a female Cut-throat Finch.

How it got into the aviary, is a mystery of which I do not pretend to offer a

-solution, for I am told that this species is never kept in this aviaiy.


The Keeper now tells me that he has never actualty seen the Buntings

feeding it; but on several occasions saw them close to it. Thus he jumped to

the conclusion that it was their offspring and reported to the Society’s head¬

quarters that they had successfully bred in the aviary, in the middle of

January. He then searched for the nest and discovered, what he supposed

was it, on the remains of an old Thrushes’ nest.


It is passing strange that such a mistake should ever have been made,

but, unless I am greatly at fault, it still remains to be proved whether Ember-

iza melanocephala, will breed successfully in captivity.—D. S.-S.]



A PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE SCOPE OF THE MAGAZINE.


Sir,—I am very pleased to see the increase in the size of the

Avicultural Magazine , and hope that it will be maintained.


May I be allowed a little space to air a crotchet of mine, which I

know is not regarded with much favour in official quarters, but which I

think to be worthy of vety^ careful consideration ?


The Avicultural Magazine has been, and is, a great success, and I want

it to become a still greater one. The chief difficulty has been its extremely

limited circulation, and there is no reasonable prospect of this being

materially increased unless it appeals to a wider circle of readers. Has not



