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Dr. A. G. Butler,



covered with little bristles wherewith to scoop out of the flower not

only the nectar but also the milliards of microscopically small insects

which no doubt supply the main food. Taking my cue from this

observation, I tried to mix ants egg's and dried lean meat powdered

up finely with the honey; result: they still went on dying. I now

changed the whole system by substituting unrefined (brown) sugar

and water with a sprinkle of the powdered meat and ants eggs,

sweetened bread and milk, fruit and sponge cake ; result: my Honey-

suckers live and are doing well- They are tight in feather and are

in a general good condition. I am of opinion that honey in any

form or quantity shortens their lives.



THIRTY-TWO YEARS OF AVICULTURE.


By Dr. A. G. Butler.


(Continued from page 252).


I have only had five species of Whydahs, but a fair number

of Viduine Weavers : thus of the Short-tailed Whydahs I have kept

many examples of both sexes of the Gombassou and the Ultramarine

Finch ; they are harmless, excitable little birds, quite ready to breed

when in colour, only my hens generally died from egg-binding;

otherwise I found them hardy and long-lived. Like the Mannikins

they will build in any of the usual nesting-receptacles, though my

birds always preferred a prepared Hartz-cage to any other ; like the

Mannikins also, and unlike the Long-tailed Whydahs, their eggs are

pure white and unmarked.


Many a time have I been tempted to purchase specimens of

the Pin-tailed Whydah ; but the two or three males which I have

owned were so mischievous in scaring other species in the same

aviary with them that I unwillingly refused them: they are most

graceful and pleasing in flight and their colouring is attractive : I

have had several females. As regards the reputed parasitic habits of

the species, Stark’s description of the nests which he himself saw

containing young birds, and the description of the spotted egg given

by Shelley, seem to me to be a sufficiently conclusive answer. I

have had a fair number of Paradise Whydahs, and found them as a



