Correspondence.



241



useless, and at the end of six weeks it could only walk upon its stumps;

the toes being rolled up into a ball. Mr. Dell then cut it out some card¬

board shoes, properly shaped, and bound the toes to the cardboard with

cotton wool, which was kept in place by Seccotine. After the Blackbird

had walked about on these improvised snow shoes for some weeks the feet

were unbound, and the bird immediately hopped up to a perch. Now it

can get about very well from perch to perch, and down to the bottom of the

cage and up again, and it roosts like any other bird. Of course the feet are

somewhat deformed but quite useful, and the patient seems to be in perfect

health. The plumage is a good deal knocked about owing to the unusual

life it has had to lead, but it is a pretty bird and, if it continues to do well,

will no doubt improve in feather very soon. This “ Blackbird” has a grey

head, white round the beak, a white breast mottled with very dark brown,

the wings appear to have alternate feathers of black and white, the tail lias-

a white centre with outer edges black, but as several feathers are missing

from this appendage I cannot describe it accurately. The eyes are dark and

very handsome. The beak now partly black and partly yellow. Sex un¬

known at present. It was supposed to be a cock, but a scientific friend of

mine inclines to the belief that it is a hen. I suppose from Dr. Butler’s

remarks in our March number pied hens are more rare than cocks. My

bird at present only makes the shrill call, answering I suppose a cock

Blackbird which lives in the room close to it, and which is an accomplished

singer. E. E. WEST.



BULLFINCH LOSING FEATHERS.


Sir, —I should be much obliged if anyone would tell me the reason

of my cock Bullfinch having lost every one of his wing feathers in a night.

The bird is one year old and in perfect health otherwise. A hen bullfinch

of the same age has been fed exactly in the same way, and this has not

happened to her. Perhaps I had better mention that they never have more

than two hemp seeds a day. F. Harewood.



CHAFFINCH AND CANARY HYBRIDS.


Sir, —We are told that “seeing is believing” and although a little

corpse, I send you one of the Chaffinch-Canary which died this afternoon

(the other one is still alive and a fine bird). The beak and the dark line

down the back of the wings I think are odd.


The live bird is larger, and has a pale beak, but its skin is a darker

colour ; the head and wings are yellow. I hope it will live. I have had

several people in, during the pairing and incubation, who can give evidence,

if I can rear the bird which is left, and I have taken every care that no other

male bird was near the hen which laid the eggs. Ar.YS Gortkr.


The dead bird was only just commencing to produce its quill feathers.



