Correspondence , Notes, etc.



was hatched. Another pair is nesting in a hnsk in the open, and I think

there are young birds, but it is high up and I have not examined it.


I had four Bengalese also in the aviary, three cocks and one hen.

They nested, and the hen laid four eggs. The four old birds always

crowded together into the nest at night, but the hen succeeded in hatching

and rearing all the youngsters.


A pair of Cutthroats nested, and deserted within a few days of

hatching. That was through my fault in examining the nest. They had

been sitting so long that I thought nothing would come of it.


I had a yellow hen Canary and some Green Singing-finches in the

aviary. The Canary mated with a Green Singing-finch, and built a

beautiful little nest in the ivy. She failed to hatch her first clutch of four

eggs, then nested again and hatched four youngsters ; but a few mornings

afterwards I found the nest pulled to pieces and the young dead. Of

course I suspected a pair of Red-crested Cardinals, and caged them, but the

destruction of a Cordon Bleus’ nest and two nests of Green Singing-finches’

subsequently, makes me think that I had accused the Cardinals unjustly.

As usual, I made a mistake in having too many birds in the small space at

my disposal.


In the house I had an ordinary Crystal Palace cage with about a

dozen foreign birds, among them a favourite pair of Cordon Bleus. They

nested and sat most faithfully on three eggs, but the eggs were unfertile.

A widow Bibfinch also laid eggs, but naturally did not hatch.


I am now off to India, so am getting rid of many of my birds, though

I have happily found homes for many of my favourites.


I was very anxious to get a mate for my lonely cock Gouldian, a bird

I brought from India two years ago, but the three hens I got at different

times all died within a few months. They seemed fit and well until within

a couple of days of their death, and then died straight off. The cock has

moulted frequently, and is as bright in feather as when I bought him.


Among the more delicate birds I had outside were a pair of Pintailed

Nonpareils, a Pectoral Finch, St. Helena Waxbills, and Cordon Bleus. All

were perfectly well and lively outside, though I lost one of the Cordons

quite unexpectedly.


Altogether, considering the fact that our climate is so uncertain, and

the aviary is in the town and constantly visited by prowling cats and owls,

the casualties have been very few. But should I ever be home again, I

would assuredly have a heated room to winter the foreigners in.


W. Tweedie.



PADDY RICE.


Sir, —Lately I came across a paper in which the writer advocated

giving paddy rice to his Pintail Nonpareils. If any of our members keep

these birds and feed them as above, do they keep in good health ?



