382



Correspondence , Notes, etc.



Street, Cavendish Square, W. It is a young bird and can only have been

dead a very short time ; most probably it was on its autumn migration. The

late Dr. Hamilton appears to have been the only writer on London Birds to

have noticed this species; he mentions it as a Spring migrant in the

Zoologist for 1S79. E. A. Porter.


MR. FINN ON CHINESE AVICULTURE.


Sir, —I notice that in a foot note over the signature “A.G.B.,”

attached to that portion of my last letter where I call attention to the

tardiness of Mr. Finn’s denial of his statement, a point is made of this

denial having appeared in The Feathered World of June 30th, 1905.


My demonstration of Mr. Finn’s illogical position had appeared in

the issue of Bird Notes published 011 June 15th, 1905, only a fortnight

before.


Therefore his Feathered World denial was as tardy in its inception as

those which have appeared and are appearing in this Magazine and Bird

Notes respectively. That for the latter was dated June 29th, and bears the

post mark of despatch of June 30th, arriving therefore after we had gone to

press for our fifth number. It will duly appear in the sixth.


W. Geo. Creswele.


Sir, —In his letter in the September number of the Avicultural

Magazine , Dr. W. G. Creswell implies that I had given him the impression

I had been in China, whereas my “information was only hear say.”


I wish therefore to state that I have actually seen, in Calcutta, the

dried flies and shelled millet I told him insectivorous birds were fed on

by the Chinese, in the cages of Chinese insectivorous birds imported into

Calcutta in their Chinese cages.


Of course I did not attempt to pose as a traveller in China to Dr.

Cresswell ; nor did I say anything about bird-feeding in Japan at all.


[As no good can result from a continuance of this discussion it is

now closed.—E d.] F. Finn.



THE SOCIETY’S MEDAL.


A medal has been awarded to Mr. D. Seth-Smith for breeding the

Varied Bustard-Ouail ( Turnix varia) for the first time in the United

Kingdom.


Sir William Ingram, Bart., has successfully bred Gray’s Bare-throated

Francolin ( Pternistes leucoscepiis). It is believed that this is the first case

on record for the United Kingdom and it is proposed to award a medal.

Any member or reader knowing of a previous instance is requested to

communicate immediately with the Hon. Business Secretary.



(Post mortem Examination Reports unavoidably held over.)



