382



Correspondence.



NESTING OF THE GREAT TIT.


Sir, — I was interested to read Dr. Amsler’s account of his success, on

which I congratulate him. The changes of policy of our Society are also very

interesting.


I well recollect that our late most excellent Editor, Mr. Seth-Smith,

several times impressed upon me the fact that medals would only be awarded for

articles which appeared first in our Magazine, and Mr. Bonhote even suggested

to me that my account of the nesting of the Blackcap might not qualify for a

medal because I had quoted some sentences which I had written some years

previously in Bird Notes ! To-day it appears to be sufficient to write an article

in Bird Notes to secure a medal of our Society. I congratulate the Society on

its more liberal policy.


The awarding of a medal for the young of parents kept only partly in

captivity seems also to be a new departure, for I have an indistinct recollection

that a medal was once refused for a species of Guinea-fowl reared in this way.

As a matter of fact, I believe that several species of Tits have reared young in

this way. One summer a pair of Blue Tits found their way into one of my

aviaries, through a single large mesh of the netting, and reared their young

partly on what I provided and partly on what they brought in to the aviary

themselves. I mentioned the matter to our member, Mr. Wormald, who told

me he knew of a similar instance. W. E. TESCHEMAKER.


# * *


Mr. Teschemaker is quite correct in thinking that in order to gain the

Society’s medal for breeding any species for the first time in captivity a full

account must appear in the Magazine, which account in the case of the Great

Titmice teas sent by Dr. Amsler for publication; but as it would have been an

exact duplicate of one in Bird Notes, published a fortnight previously, and

seeing that a lot of the members of the Avicultural Society are also members of

the F.B.C. I thought it would perhaps be sufficient to state that Dr. Amsler’s

paper had been received. In any case I try to aim at publishing original articles,

etc. and to avoid appearing to merely copy them from a contemporary publica¬

tion, feeling sure that many members would not be satisfied in finding portions

of the Magazine filled up with replicas of what they might have, or had, already

read in another one a short while previously.


As to the awarding of the medal to Dr. Amsler for breeding the Great

Tits, the decision must rest with the Council. [N.B.—A medal is still due to him

for breeding the Hooded Siskin — Chrysomitris cucullatus ]. If a medal has already

been granted by another Society (or Club) the advisability of adding a second

one for the same object is, I agree, questionable. I take it that our Society was

formed for the mutual study of living birds as pets or otherwise, and not for

fostering a spirit of mere competition. Personally I do not consider any award

should be necessary, for if aviculturists are really keen, no medals of any calibre

or quality will stimulate them to encourage their birds to nest and reproduce



