14


BREEDING RESUETS.


Sir, — It would be interesting to the members of the Society to know

what breeding results have been obtained this season. I give mine, hoping

other accounts will follow.


Seven Saffron-finches: one died; hen nesting again ; five eggs. All from

one pair.


Four Ribbon-finches : still in the nest. Parents, a young pair purchased a

couple of months ago.


Twelve Budgerigars; one died. Three pairs kept. Moult nearly over, and

visiting nests again.


Two Virginian Cardinals : both eaten by parents. Three eggs were laid

afterwards, but the hen did not sit on them; tw-'o were given to the

Saffron-finclres, both good and one hatched; but the Saffrons failed

to rear the young bird. The one given to the Ribbon-finches was sat

upon for the full time, but was clear.


Four Redrumps : one died at an early age. All bred by one pair.


Thirteen Rosellas : twm nests from same pair; seven from eight eggs, and

six from six eggs. Nearly all died young ; but a fine young male is still

left and capable of looking after himself. Two nests in one year

from the same pair is, I think, rare.


Nine eggs, New Zealand Parrakeets, five and four; first nest spoiled

through faulty log, discovered too late ; second, abandoned before

due to hatch, I presume through birds beginning to moult. Same pair

laid all the nine eggs. I have successfully bred these Parrakeets till

this year, in nests of from two to five.


A. Savage.


THE ETHICS OF EXHIBITING.


Sir, — As your article under this heading in the October Magazine is

chiefly a criticism of mine in the previous issue, I feel sure that you will

not object to publishing a short repl} r from me.


(i) It is certainly not necessary to exhibit birds in very small cages,

but it is much more convenient to do so and is the almost invariable

practice. Personally, I dislike cages altogether, and perhaps what I

should call a small cage would be called by you a moderately large one.


(2) Whether the exhibits are sent on long or short railway journeys makes

but little difference, probably the birds become, to some extent, inured to

the discomforts of travelling after the first hour or two, and the total amount

of suffering on a short journey would be almost as much as on a long one.


(3) It is certainly practicable to maintain an even temperature in the show¬

room, but it is seldom or never done.


I admit the cruelty involved in the importation of birds, but much of

it is preventible. And the aviculturist can scarcely be held responsible

for what happens to his birds before they come into his hands. The

cruelty is caused chiefly by overcrowding — when birds are carefully

imported by amateurs, the cruelty is reduced to a minimum. But many of

the most delightful foreign birds can be bred in aviaries in this country,

and, if purchasers would be content to pay a rather higher price for aviary-

bred birds than for imported specimens, there is no reason why the latter

should not be driven out of the market. I hope the day will come when

nearly all the foreign birds in England shall be aviary-bred.


Septimus Perkins.



