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Correspondence, Notes , etc.



a colony of this charming species. A bird which has been in

an outdoor aviary could be liberated at any time of the year, as

the Sparrow would show it where to find food. This, I may say,

I have seen a Pekin Robin steal from a Sparrow ! —and my heart

warmed tenfold to Liothrix luteus in consequence.


Frank Finn.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


CRIMSON-WINGED PARRAKEETS, &c.


Sir, —My Crimson-winged Parrakeets sat on three fertile eggs in a

■small tnb, after laying one batch of clear eggs on the ground, (these I put

under a pigeon and so found out they were clear). I was going away the

day they were hatched, and seeing them rather disturbed by a cat that

walked near, I went and looked in the tub which was on the ground, and

found that in coming out of the tub, the hen must have dragged two young

ones away from the end, because I found them cold but still squeaking.

They had food in their crops, and I took them indoors and revived them,

and put them back with the other egg, which I hear hatched out next day.

Once or twice the man who looks after them in my absence found them

away from the corner, and he put them back. I think the Parrakeets must

have hatched on Tuesday, June 20th, and one died on Friday, and the other

■on Saturday. They looked after the young one well till July 4th, then

they fed it very little, and to-day, July 6th, it is getting very thin, though I

Rave hand-fed it. The hen never sits on it now in the day time, and it has

no feathers. . I am writing this letter in the hope that a breeder of the

Crimson-wings will give me his or her experience, food, etc. Mine have

strawberries, grapes, sunflower, crushed hemp, canary, millet, rape, sponge

■cake, biscuit, Quaker oats and green food. They are in quite a small

aviary with three Goldfinch mule hens. I am going to try them with fresh

ants’ cocoons.


I have reared two Virginian Cardinals, a pair I think, but the hen has

broken its leg. The old pair have two more young ones in the nest.


I have also reared Desert Trumpeter Bullfinches.


I should like to know how to find out an egg eater in an aviary.


M. C. Hawke.


NESTING OF THE BEARDED TIT.


Sir, —My Bearded Tits had a nest finished on Whit-Sunday, and

four eggs laid. Three of these eggs were fertile, two hatched, and one egg

was clear. The young lived seven days. I am sending you one to see.

They were just beginning to feather. They had flesh-coloured legs and

feet, yellow bill, and most curious luminous looking spots on the inside of



