Rare Foreign Birds.



57



The Rails are, however, largely if not entirely insectivorous, and it is

probably lack of animal food which has developed this tendency to-

cannibalism.


Apart from a few mixed seeds, I give mine hard-boiled eggs, ants’ eggs

in equal parts and a little scraped raw meat.


I would suggest giving yours scraped raw meat and hard-boiled eggs

and stopping the mealworms, which. I am afraid, acting as a stimulant, may

have been the inciting cause.


Cannibal propensities, however, once acquired, are difficult to-

eradicate, and should they still continue to prey on the smaller birds I fear

the only remedy will be to place them in an aviary by themselves.


J. Lewis Bonhote.


[We found this species dangerous with very small birds. It is very

fond of scraped raw meat, also cockroaches and other insects.—E d.]



RARE FOREIGN BIRDS.



It is important that a record should be kept of the arrival of rare

importations of foreign birds into this country, and the Editor will be very

pleased to receive communications from members who have received any¬

thing of especial rarity. Several interesting birds have recently reached

this country, which have seldom been imported before ; among them we

may note several examples of the Red-collared Lorikeet ( Trichoglossus

rubritorques) and Brown’s Parrakeet, from Australia, while the formerly

rare Bathilda ruficauda has been imported in immense numbers. South

American birds have been brought home somewhat freely, and one con¬

signment contained the rare Orange-billed Tauager (Saltatorauraniurostris),

the small Brown-throated Cardinal ( Paroaria cervicalis) and the interesting

Oven-bird (Furnarius rufus).


From India, our member Mr. E. W. Harper has lately brought the

Gold-fronted Finch ( Metoponia pusilla), the Grey-winged Ouzel ( Merula

boulboul) and the Great India Weaver ( Ploceus megarynchus).



THE EXECUTIVE COMMITEE.



Messrs. Bonhote and Meade-Waldo have been elected by the

members of the Council to represent them on the Executive Committee

by a large majority, the other candidates being Messrs. Farrar, Finn, and

Page.



