364



Corresponde?ice, Notes, etc.



NESTING OF THE SILVER-EARED MESIAS.


From the official list of additions to the Zoological Society’s

Collection it would appear that a young bird of this species has been reared

at the Gardens. This however is not the case. One young bird lived until

it was nearly fledged, but died long before it could feed itself; so that this

beautiful species has not yet been successfully bred in captivity.



HYBRID LONG-TAILED AND MASKED GRASSFINCH.


A hybrid from a male Long-tailed (Poephila acuticauda) and female

Masked Grassfinch (P. personatci) has recently been reared in my aviary.

When first seen it was being fed b)' the Long-tailed Grassfinch, the only one

in the aviary, so I knew it must be a hybrid ; and as there were two hen

Masked F'iuches which had for some time been on very friendly terms with

the Long-tailed, I had little doubt as to which bird was the female parent.

The young bird was just like a young Masked Finch except that it had

more ,of a “ bib.” Its bill is now changing from black to yellow, and its

movements remind one most of the Long-tailed Grassfinch, but its voice

is the trumpet note of the Masked Finch. D. Seth-Smith.



THE SOCIETY’S MEDAL.



Medals have been granted to Dr. A. G. Butler for breeding the

Tambourine Dove (p. 307), Mr. W. E. Teschemaker for breeding the Black

Tanager (p. 331), and Mr. Boughton-Leigh for breeding the Great-billed

Andaman Parrakeet (p. 336), these being the first instances, so far as can be

ascertained, of the above species breeding successfully in the United

Kingdom.



POST MORTEM EXAMINATIONS.



RULES.


Each bird must be forwarded, as soon after death as possible, carefully packed and postage

paid, direct to Mr. Arthur Gill, Lanherne, Bexley Heath, Kent, and must be

accompanied by a letter containing the fullest particulars of the case, and a fee

of 1/- for each bird. If a reply by post is required a fee of 2/6 must be enclosed

Domestic poultry, pigeons, and Canaries can only be reported on by post.


Cordon Bleu. (Mr. Ogle). Your bird died of acute pneumonia.


Hen Bengalee. (The Hon. Lilia de Yarburgh Bateson). This bird died

of inflammation of the bowels.


Answered by post:


Mr. Swift. Miss Mortimer. The Countess of Lovelace.


Mr. ST. QuinTin.



