Correspondence. 315


CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ®c.



A NOTE ON THE NESTING OP WHOOPER SWANS,


By the COUNTESS OF HAREWOOD.


1 ‘ It may interest some of the readers of the Avicultural Magazine to

“know that a pair of Whooper Swans that we caught at Harewood last year

“have hatched two young ones.”


“ A pair that we had before, bred two years running in 1903 and 1904.

“That pair unfortunately died, and although we have kept this species ever

“since, they have made no attempt to nest again until this year. We now

“have nine of these Swans.”


NOTES FROM WOBURN ABBEY.


Young Emperor Geese were hatched out, but did not live. In spite of

being in a very large enclosure where they could have found good grit, they ate

fine sand which brought on enteritis.


Young Stanley Parrakeets were hatched in the grounds (the parents being

at liberty) and brought up ; and also Rosellas. A brood of Adelaide Parrakeets

were in their nest at the beginning of July, and a second one of Barnards.


The Gang-Gang Cockatoos had apparently again deserted their eggs.

It is curious that birds at liberty should take the trouble to nest and lay, and at

the crucial moment give it all up. One wonders whether any interfering Owls

disturbed them by night.


NAME OF SERIN-FINCH.


SIR,—I was sold a bird the other day by Thorpe, of Worksop, as a female

S. African Bullfinch, and the enclosed curious Latin names sent as likely to be

one of them.


The bird is more like a Hawfinch in size and build, a hen Greenfinch

coloured with green rump, dirty white streaks by eyes and under throat. Sings

very well and is great friends with my Russian cock Bullfinch. I bought her to

try and get a cross.


What is it likely to be ? I enclose names as I got them.


(Crilosagra chroysopyga). (Lohospisa croropygia).


E. Warren Vernon.


The following reply has been sent to Mrs. Vernon.


Your bird is certainly not Crithagra chrysopyga (that being a synonym of

Serinus icterus —The Green Singing-finch). As it comes from South Africa it is

probably the male of Serinus albigularis —The White-throated Seed-eater, said

to be an excellent songster. I have only had the female of this bird, which

never uttered a note. The allied species Serinus crocopygius (Poliospiza

crocopygia is a synonym) comes from South-Western Africa.


A. G. Butler.



