Correspondence. 231


CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.



FEEDING A NIGHTJAR.


SIR,—In answer to Mr. Hugh Wormald with regard to his question as to

my Nightjar, which I kept for five years, feeding itself, I write to say that it

would not peck anything up, and seemed to have no idea of doing so. I suc¬

ceeded in getting him to feed himself by having a narrow piece of wood, like a

miniature shelf, fixed along the front of the cage, so that when the bird was on

the floor of the cage, its head was level with the shelf, along the edge of which I

firmly fixed in pins about three inches apart, snipping off the heads. On these I

fixed moths, mealworms, cockchafers, pieces of insectivorous food (“Life”)

made into small pellets, etc.



When the Nightjar was hungry, he would run forward and pull the food

off the pins and bolt it. There was not the slightest fear of the bird hurting

his mouth with the headless pins, because he always ran up to them and took

hold of the food only, pulling it off.


The eyesight of the Nightjar appears to be directed slightly upwards, for

he would take no notice of any live food that was placed on the floor where he

might have seen it moving, but directly food was raised level with his eyes, he

would at once snap it up. P. F. M. GALLOWAY.


STARLINGS ON THE BATTLEFIELD.


Mr. JAMES B. HOUSDEN writes :— “I have two sons fighting with their

“ respective batteries—R.F.A. They mention about the Starlings that frequent

“the batteries and the tameness of these birds.”


“ My eldest son—a great observer of birds, as well as a keen soldier, wrote

“ that in the battle of St. Eloi they were attacked by a large number of

“ Bavarians about 5 p.m. (and fought all night), and that while they were firing,

“ amidst all the noise and din, a flock of Starlings circled round our own guns

“ for some time, and then suddenly disappeared. He wrote that it was a strange

“and interesting sight.”



