Correspondence, Notes, etc. 243


reply in the affirmative, and this after nearly three years of the “ Story of

Bird-Death.”


While on this subiect, one is tempted to ask whj' were Dr. Creswell

and the “ 110-eggers,” (to coin a word), so down on Mr. Finn for recommend¬

ing egg for rearing the nestlings of the Java Sparrow etc. (see Bird Notes,

Vol. IV.) and in the same volume, page 3, Mr. Castle-Sloane says he feeds

his Choughs on hard-boiled egg yet, according to Dr. Creswell, it is equally

bad for all birds.


In reply to Mr. Fillmer’s kind remarks about myself, may I say that

I asked “ the gentleman then officially connected with Bird Notes,” to

write, stating that I was perfectly willing to reply to Dr. Creswelhs remarks

provided that I could do so under the name of “ Onlooker,” and I also told

him, although I do not know if he wrote to that effect, that if Dr. Creswell

did not care to publish my reply in Bird Notes I would send it to the

Avicultural Magazine. This is, I suppose, the threat that was held out

that capital would be made out of it if he refused.


Further, I entirely fail to see why, if Dr. Creswell was not satisfied

with my criticisms of “ The Wild Canary,” he could not write himself; he

can, as most of his readers know, wield a trenchant pen, and has had plenty

of time to go into the alleged errors in his paper.


If Dr. Creswell likes, I shall be only too pleased to write a criticism

of his “ Bibliograph}' of Cage Birds,” pointing out a few omissions and a

fair number of mistakes, either in Bitd Notes or this journal, but would

require a fair amount of space as they are rather numerous. At the same

time it is extremely creditable to him, when one recollects that less than

four 3 T ears ago (August 1902) he wrote, “/ have never had access to good or

rather full books on my favourite hobby ” ; and this I can quite believe

after reading the Bibliography through. “ Onlooker.”


DEATH FOLLOWING ALBINISM.


Sir,—I have just lost a male Quelea quelea purchased in 1896, which

in 1904 assumed the plumage of Q. russi (the third instance in my aviaries):

this again bears out my view that the assumption of an albinistic plumage

is an evidence of failing strength. A. G. BuTEER.


HUMMING BIRDS IN EUROPE.


Sir, —When paying a visit in March to Professor Giacinto Martorelli,

the head of the Natural History Museum at Milan—which I may remark is

well worth a visit, for the collection of stuffed and mounted bird-skins is

splendid —he told me that some few years ago several Humming Birds were

kept in Milan in captivity for several months, and that they used to hover

fearlessly round anyone’s face and feed from the hand. Professor Martorelli

himself saw them, and described it as the most lovely sight imaginable,

adding that the beautiful little creatures remained in perfect health for

some considerable time. HUBERT D. AsteEY.



