344



Correspondence, Notes, etc.



I fancy they would run the Hon. Canon Dutton’s Blue-Bonnets close in the

way of tricks. They would make admirable cage-birds, but I prefer them

loose in the aviary, my chief fear is that they will learn to be funny at

other birds’ expense after they get the use of their wings, and of course fits

are to be feared. They chatter so much that they ought to make talkers

with training, and, without incentives to tricks, they might turn their

attention to cultivating their tongues.


I send you this paper with a view to getting information for myself

and parts of it may be of interest to some members. I should be much

obliged if other members would mention if they have noticed red in the

tail.


Bakloh Punjab, India, G. A. Perreau, Capt.,


25/6/0. 2/4 Gurkha Rifles.


At Mr. Seth-Smith’s request I wrote to Mr. Clias. Chubb at the Nat.

Hist. Museum ; and he says, in reply to my question respecting the red in

the tail-feathers of the Musky Lorikeet,—“ Gtossopsittacus concinnus has all

the tail-feathers red at the base except the middle ones.”— 'B,'D.pro tern.

A. G. B.


“CONSUMPTION IN BIRDS.”


Sir, —If the observations and researches of such eminent Bacteri¬

ologists as Nocard, Villemin and Hewlett fail to convince Dr. W. G. Creswell

that Avian Tuberculosis does exist amongst birds, I am afraid that he must

excuse me from trying to do so.


And, as for your other correspondent, I am content to let him revel

in the enjoyment of his sneering remarks and the opinions of the self-

constituted experts of “Bird Notes.”


Jas. Geo. Mylan.


P.S.—An excellent translation by' Dr. H. Scurfield, (Medical Officer of

Health, Sheffield) of Professor E. Nocard’s book on “Animal Tuberculosis”

is published by Balliere Tindall and Cox of London.—J.G.M.



Sir, —Up to the moment of writing Mr. J. G. Mylan has not com¬

municated with me to arrange for the demonstration of tuberculosis in

birds which I have asked him for. I sincerely hope he will do so soon.


The matter is of the most pressing importance. If tuberculosis is as

common in birds as Mr. Mylan and his authorities say it is, and if Mr.

Mylan be correct in his assertion that he has traced fatal cases of consump¬

tion in humans to infection from cage birds, then we as bird-keepers must

at once face the grave responsibilities we daily and hourly incur by expos¬

ing helpless children and dependants to danger of which they know

nothing and cannot of themselves guard against.


If Mr. Mylan’s conclusions are worthy of attention, our conduct in

keeping chamber pets which are so commonly phthisical is positively



