CorresjJondence. 293


CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.



POUR VARIETIES OF THE P(EOCEPHALUS FAMILY.


SIR,—It will perhaps interest you to know that I have now the four

varieties of the Pceocephalus family, namely, the Robustus or Levaillant’s, the

Brown-necked or Fuscicollis, the Jardine’s and the Senegal. Seen side by side

there is a very distinct difference between Levaillant’s and the Brown-necked

Parrot, the tail of the latter being almost black, the tail-coverts quite a different

shade, end of the bill black at extremity and front of the head red.


I have just mentioned this as I thought it would be of interest to you.


Aigburth, Liverpool. W. CROSS.


JARDINE’S PIGMY OWLS AND YELLOW-WINGED SUGAR BIRDS.


SIR,—You will be pleased to hear that two young Jardines’ Pigmy Owls

are fully reared, the third disappeared when a few days old. The young are

paler editions of their parents, (one is much less rufous than the other), the

white less white and the brown not so warm in tint. When they leave the nest

box of an evening, and all four sit together, one can see that the young have

not yet attained the full stature of their parents. They feed themselves and

talk a good deal over their food. By the way, their call is very like my Wax-

wings, the same little trilling twitter, whereas the old birds perserve a stony

silence at all times. They are shy and when they find themselves observed they

crouch down with their backs towards the visitor and put their heads (seemingly)

between their knees. But if one stands still they cannot resist bobbing up every

now and then to take stock of the enemy. Probably they will soon become

tame or at least indifferent.


My hopes and fears (chiefly the latter) are just now centred on my Yellow¬

winged Blue Sugar Birds who have built a lovely little nest in the inner part of

the shelter. The hen has just begun to sit. If she should hatch and not throw

out the young forthwith. as did my Rufous-throated Sugar Bird, I wonder if

green fly would be suitable food ? She is very fond of it herself. The nest is

built of tow and lined with those fine shavings of tissue paper which are used to

pack chocolates in ; it is a deep cup, but I have not dared to look at the eggs.

The nest is high up near the roof. The cock sits near her when she is on the

nest and follows her closely whenever she comes off. She became very spiteful

towards a pair of Blue Sugar Birds just before beginning to build, and I had to

move them out of the )aviary lest from words she should proceed to deeds.


The cock Blue Sugar Bird is still in immature plumage, but I saw him

this morning trying to feed the hen with sponge cake. She would have none of

it, evidently ‘‘does not care for boys”! ETHEL F. CHAWNER.


NESTING OP THE LESSER WHITETHROAT.


SIR,—It may interest Members to know that on Thursday, April 29 th, a

Lesser Whitethroat appeared for the first time on a privet hedge in the grounds



