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Readers of the Aviculiural Magazine do not require

any introduction to Dr. Butler as an author, and in this unpre-

tentious«book they will once more appreciate the accuracy and

thoroughness by which his writings are always distinguished.


After a chapter on “Aviaries and Management,” Dr. Butler

gives an account, first of some of the more frequently imported

soft-food species, and afterwards of the finches and finch-like

birds. Only between 20 and 30 insectivorous species are treated

of, but of the small seed-eaters a very much larger number are

described. It will doubtless be read with interest by those who

have not already perused it in the Feathered World , and it will be

handy to beginners as a book of reference.


We should have expected to find the important subject of

food more fully discussed in a work of this kind. With regard

to the feeding of soft-food birds, Dr. Butler’s views are well

known, and are, of course, re-stated in “ Foreign Bird Keeping.”

Dr. Butler’s method of treatment does not commend itself to

the present writer.


It appears to us that in several instances Dr. Butler

generalises too much, and draws conclusions as to the character

of a species from too limited experience—but this is the fault of

all writers on aviculture, and one which it is almost impossible

to avoid.


There are numerous illustrations, some by the author and

some by Mr. Lydon.



CORRESPONDENCE.



THE SPOTTED PANTHER-BIRD.


Sir,—I wonder if any of our members know whether the Spotted

Pardalote (Pardalotuspunctatus) (Gonld) or its congener, the Allied Pardalote

(P. affinis), have been imported and kept in confinement in this country. It

seems to me that they might be kept quite as easily as many other birds

which are now regularly offered for sale, and more beautiful creatures it

would be difficult to imagine.


In case the birds are not generally known, I enclose a drawing of the

Spotted Pardalote made from specimens collected by myself in Australia.

They are fairly common in the North of Victoria, and South-West of New

South Wales. I do not know much of their habits, but imagine their food

consists of various seeds and small insects. As far as I know, the sexes are

alike, as all the specimens I obtained resemble one another.


The Allied Pardalote is a little larger than the Spotted variety (the

drawing is life-size) and has the markings more in the form of streaks than

spots. The mark over the ey r e runs completely over the base of the upper

mandible, and is cadmium-yellow in front and white behind. The beak is

greyish olive without markings, and the upper tail-coverts warm olive-brown



