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The young were reared entirely on insect food; and only those who have

tried, know what that means.


I believe that this is the first time that Nonpareils have ever been

bred and reared in England and therefore my pair are justly proud of

their effort. C. D. Farrar.



THE AMERICAN MOCKING BIRD.


Sir, —I should like to ask you or any member of the Avicultural

Society whether the above bird, Turduspolyglottus (Wilson), is the wonderful

mimic he is made_©nt to be in books.


I have had one for twelve months, and he is in good health and song

(he is singing now) and his song much resembles the chirping of a good-

sized chicken. As for his mimicry, I don’t detect him mimicking either

human being, animal, or bird, although dogs, cats, ten different kinds of

birds, children, etc., abound. Now I have heard this power of mimicry

questioned by others, though, in a book I have just read, a writer states

that he has heard the bird mimic 24 different sounds of beasts and birds.


I should, therefore, be very glad if any English aviculturists will

state what their experience is of the bird’s vocal abilities, (a)


A. Jones.



THE AGE OF CAGE-BIRDS.


Sir, — In the March number, Mr. Meade-Waldo has an article on the

ages to which birds live in confinement, and he hoped the members would

be induced to record any that seemed to be sufficiently important. I have

kept account of dates of purchase of the smallest Finches and Waxbills,

and when death ensued, and in the majority of cases about eight years

seems to be the length of duration of their lives in confinement when kept

in cages.


Here are a few cases. On the nth June, 1889, I bought three birds—

a hen Green Avadavat and a pair of African Grey Waxbills. The former

lived to 27th March, 1897 — within three months of eight years. The pair

of Waxbills died in the same year : the cock on the 31st May, and the lien

on the 20th July — one just under, the other a little over, the above-mentioned

time. O11 the 8th November, 1889, a pair of Orange-cheek Waxbills arrived ;

the cock lived until the 17th January, and the hen until the 20th February,

189S. These dates were a little over the usual period.


I can ‘ go one better ’ than our Secretary with regard to his pair of

Golden-breasted Waxbills, that he has had about seven years {vide April

number, page 112). A pair was sent me 011 the 12th of June, 1890; the cock

getting through the f-inch bars of the cage, was killed the same year bj*

a cat; but the hen is still in good health. As Mr. Goddard wrote that they

had moulted with him the previous autumn, she must have been in this

country for ten years.


The above are cage records with regard to duration of life in confine¬

ment. Do any of our members keep their wee birds longer in outdoor or

indoor aviaries? If so, will some of them kindly give the average age of

their feathered friends. W. T. CaTreugh.


(a). I gave a detailed account of my American Mocking-bird in the Feathered World

for April 5th, 1895, and I have again described it much more fully in my Articles on

Foreign Bird-keeping (F. W. 1898, chapter IV). This bird is a superb singer and mimic:

possibly Mr. Jones may possess a hen.—A. G. B.



