Correspondence, Notes, etc. 229


certain to appear in the first edition, but a rather serious mistake

occurs on page 9, where the Long - tailed or Twelve - tailed

Whydah-bird (Chera progne), whose portrait appears in a capital

photograph, is called the Paradise Whydah ( Vidua paradisea') ;

but such mistakes will doubtless be put right in the next

edition. We advise all our members to send for a copy.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.



THE WHITE-THROATED and RUFOUS-BREASTED

THICKHEADS.


Sir ,—Apropos of the beautiful plate in your December number,

you may perhaps be interested in hearing something of Pachycephala in

captivity.


I have kept both the White-throated and Rufous-breasted Thickheads.


They very soon get on to Lark food if kept in a cage, especially when

associated with a smaller bird, such as a Malurvs, to teach them to feed.


The diet is varied with egg food, house fly maggots, and meal or

wire worms.


They get very tame and will readily feed from the hand.


One met his death from this, as he followed me through the aviary

porch door which I accidentaly shut on him.


The song of the Rufous bird is a particularly sweet whistle, starting

high and running down the scale.


Like so many of our birds, his mode of attracting the hen is by

dancing. His method is different from any of the other dancers I keep

as he puts his head on one side and, grasping the bough firmly, jumps

violently up and down.


They are not bad birds in an aviary, and never interfere with even the

tiniest of African Finches, though two cocks fought savagely.


I am hoping to get them to sit for photos, and will, if you care for

them send you copies. HEEEN Bowie.


Melbourne, Australia.


[We are very much obliged to Miss Bowie for her interesting letter,

and we hope that some enterprising person may bring a few of these birds

to the old country and give some of us at home an opportunity of keeping

Pachycephala in our aviaries. We should like to receive the photos which

Miss Bowie so kindly offers, and, if suitable for reproduction, and funds

permitting, to publish them in this Magazine.—E d.]



