Correspondence.



201



the prize (which is offered for the current and following years) to

rest with the Editor of the Magazine ” (Minutes of Council Meeting,

February 6th, 1914).


The Prize is open for competition by foreign members only, as

they are not eligible for the Medal.



CORRESPONDENCE.



NOTES FROM THE AVIARIES AT VILLERS BRETONNEUX.


Dear Sir, —My bird notes for 1917 are not interesting enough for an article.

On account of the length of the war, I parted with a good many of my birds,

keeping only a few rare birds and pets, about four hundred.


After the war, I intend to move my collection into a warmer country than

Northern France. Very few young birds were reared, of which the most interesting

is a Fruit Pigeon (Alectrcr.nas pulcherrima). My three pairs of Button’s Touracos

laid, and hatched several young ones, but did not rear any. Very bad luck! Two

of the hens were bred at Villers-Bretonneux. I hope I shall be more successful

this year.


During last year I again received some good birds: a fine cock Crested

Guinea Fowl ( Guttera cristata); a cock Stone Curassow ( Pauxi galeata ) and a

cock Sclater’s Curassow ( Crax sclateri); some Parrots (Tanygnathus luconensis,

Piojius violaceus and corallinus) , and a lovely Parrakeet (Palceornis schisticeps );

a great Gaboon Hornbill ( Buceros atratus) and a lot of Toucans — mainly

Rhamphastos, Ariel, and Andigena bailloni.


In the spring I got a very fine Giant Touraco (Corythoeola cristata), but

alas ! he has long been dead. I have an Albino Jay, white with pearl-grey

“moustaches” and light blue wings, quite a nice bird. My Sun-birds grow very

old, and I lost one Amethyst (C. amethystinus) ; one Malachite ( N.famosa ); one

double-collared (C. chalibceus), and the lovely Anthobaphes violacea ; I still keep,

in perfect condition, the (Ethopyga saturata (Black-breasted Yellow-backed

Sun-bird).


It is always possible in France to get all kinds of common birds from Africa

and America, but they are much more expensive than before the war. It is now

impossible to find Australian and Asiatic birds.


Peronne; Yours very sincerely,


January 23rd, 1918. Delacour (Lieut.).



BIRD-CATCHING IN AUSTRALIA.


A member’s correspondent writes: “ [One dealer] goes into the back country

of West Australia, catches the birds himself, and takes them to America, making

one trip every year. To-day he arrived in Sydney on his way to ’Frisco, and had

100 dozen mixed Finches and a few Parrots, the Finches consist of Goulds,

Pictorellas, Longtails, Masked, Ring Finches, and two pairs of Painted Finches.

The Parrots consist of six pairs of Crimson Wings, some Port Lincolns, and one

cock Pileated Parrot. About two years back he took to ’Frisco a pair of Princess

Alexandra Parrakeets. [Another dealer] has a lot to take away, but nothing out

of the way as regards variety. He has some fine Emus, Swans, Opossums, Snakes,

etc. He leaves for ’Frisco by the ‘ Sonoma’ next week.”



THE PAUCITY OF WILD BIRDS.


To the Editor of the ‘ Avicultural Magazine.'


Sir, — I entirely agree with Mr. Hubert Astley re the great scarcity of many

birds after the disastrous lvinter of last season.



