Correspondence.



175



and so you will liave to rely chiefly upon good insectivorous food, contain¬

ing plenty of the best ants’ cocoons procurable and good yolk of egg ; and

yon might give as many small mealworms as the birds will take while they

are feeding young. Even at this time of year the common annual flowering

grass can be obtained in places, and I should be inclined to provide as much

of this as possible. You might give the small Indian millet seed in addition

to the white millet and Canary seed. D. SRTH-SMITH.


THE HARDINESS OF BIRDS OF PARADISE.


In a letter to the Editor Mr. E. J. Brook writes :—“I am very' glad

to hear that the Paradise Birds at the Zoological Gardens are to have out¬

side houses and flights.* I find that my Paradise Birds are most lively at a

temperature of between 40° and 50° Falir., but they do not seem to feel cold

at about freezing point. If the houses get too warm they get dull. These

birds should have plenty of shade in summer as nearly all of them dislike

strong sun.


I give all my Birds of Paradise (except the Six Plumed) some finely

cut up raw meat once a week, I think they are better for it. My “Lesser

Bird ” is very fond of a mouse and eats it in such a systematic manner that

I think they must eat such things in nature.”



PECULIAR COLORATION IN A LOVEBIRD.


Sir,—T he colour change in a hen Madagascar Lovebird seems to me

remarkable enough to record. After the moult last autumn it changed

completely, and instead of being all green it had no green about it at all.

Flying about in a large outdoor aviary' I could scarcely tell what colour it

was, only that its back and wings seemed dark, its breast ruddy’, aud the

whole plumage of a bronze hue.


Not until it died, which it did about a month ago (it had been in the

aviary some years and was old, that is for a Madagascar Lovebird) had I an

opportunity of examining it closely’, then I found that the back was trying,

as it were, to be black, the breast red, and the upper part of the tail feathers

orange. Surely a singular change in an all green bird! A few of the

little feathers were quite black, quite red, and quite orange.


It would have been interesting to see what another moult would have

brought forth ; it was in good condition so far as flesh was concerned, and I

wish it had not died. The cock, equally old, remains quite normal in

colour. E. A. H. Hartricy.



* Mr. Brook refers to the outdoor flight aviaries which are being erected 011 the south

side of the small Bird House, in which it is intended to keep some of the Birds of Paradise.



