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only a slight wash of yellow on the throat, while the other, who still sticks

to its mater (or pater), is wholly green in the front, not a suspicion of

yellow being discernible. Probably the former are males and the latter

a female. The beaks are whitish yellow. It seems to me that, with the

one exception, the young became independent of their parents at a very

early age.


These birds, it must be understood, have been bred in the open

garden. The parents have access to sop and to the insectivorous food

supplied to the Warblers ; and they always eagerly avail themselves of any

opportunity that may present itself of snapping up a stray mealworm.


I may add that my Parrot Finches certainly prefer nesting in a low,

well-sheltered, almost dark, spot, rather than high up in the aviary ; and

they prefer making “ independent ” nests to making use of boxes or the

like.


On October 20th, I caught and examined two of the last brood. Both

were in full moult, and coming rapidly into colour. A supposed male

had the under parts dull black-green ; but the under parts (not counting

the throat) of the supposed female were rather of a yellow-green. The

bill of the latter was orange with dark brown tip ; the lower mandible of

the former was orange and the upper black.


Reginald Phieeipps.



SWALLOWS IN CAGES.


Sir, —I cannot help making a protest against the confinement of

Swallows in cages. One might almost as well try to keep a fish out of

water. To see these poor birds fluttering against the bars of a tiny cage at

a Bird Show is really heart-rending.


A Swallow is a bird of the air, and settles chiefly on a liouse-roof or

tree for the purpose of rest. Swallows feed on the wing entirely, catching

(as everyone knows) the insects in the midst of their graceful and

marvellous flight. It must be misery to them to be forced to peck at their

food from a tray whilst seated on a perch. Both actions are utterly un¬

natural to them for the purpose of obtaining food.


One of these birds, exhibited at the Crystal Palace on the 4th of

October, had so beaten its wings against the bars as to make the shoulders

bleed, and the perch on which it tried to balance itself was bespattered

with blood.


There are so many birds that can be made happy in cages, that it

seems unnecessary (if nothing else) to imprison a bird which nobody can

induce me to believe can feel anything but wretched, having within its

inmost being a strong instinct to do that which captivity prevents it from

accomplishing ( f ).


Hubert D. Asteey.



(f) We heartily endorse Mr. Astlky’s protest. This is a matter which theNational

British Bird and Mule Club would do well to take in hand. What makes the thing still

more cruel is that the birds are all wild-caught, and not, as is often supposed, hand-

reared.— Ed. and R.P.



