282 Correspondence , Notes , etc.



HOODED SISKIN MULES : BREEDING WITH MULES.


Sir, —I think you may be interested to hear that I have successfully

paired my Hooded Siskin with a green Canary, and that they have reared

three “ Mista Cauarias” (the fourth egg addled) which will be three weeks

old on the 23rd. They are very forward and sit on perches all day and night,

and one flew across the room to-day. Their markings are good but not very

dark, and so far, though not green, are not the orange of the Mista canaria

from Teneriffe, though I have no doubt they will get so after their first

moult. I also paired the Mista canaria, but his hen sat badly and has

only reared one bird out of four eggs. This bird seems smaller than the

others and has quite as much orange tinge as the true Mista canarias. Both

hens are beginning to prepare fresh nests.


M. Norman.


Chelsea , May 21st. -


Sir, —Our member Miss M. Norman, having been successful in

breeding with the offspring of the Hooded Siskin and Canary (the Mista

canaria ), I asked her to allow her letter to be published in the Magazine.


Although fertile hybrids are common enough in the orders Anseres,

Columbce, and Gallince, they seem to be rarer in the Passeres, and

particularly in the family Fringillidce ; it is therefore important to put every

case on record. A. G. Butler.



REARING DIPPERS AND HOODED CROWS.


Sir,—C an j'ou kindly give me any advice as to rearing young Water

Ouzels ? I am trying to bring up two.


I have a nest full of Hooded Crows reared. I gave them egg (shell

and all), raw meat and milk, and sometimes a lump of pap to stop their

mouths when I was feeding the dogs or other birds.


J. FFOLLIOTT DARLING.



The following reply has been sent to Mr. ffolliott Darling:


The late Lord Lilford tried very hard to rear Dippers, but was never

able to keep them alive for more than three mouths. Three or four years

ago Dr. Sharpe had a similar experieuce.


If the Water Ouzel is to be reared, I should think “Century Food,”

given very moist until the young were able to pick, would be most likely to

succeed. I should add small earthworms, and, if 3-011 can get them, caddis-

worms.


The failure to rear many’ insectivorous birds is undoubtedly due to

their being fed upon minced raw beef, which brings on diarrhoea and

apoplectic fits.


I believe it is possible to rear any of the Crows upon soaked bread and

minced raw beef; but, with the typical insectivorous birds, it is another

matter altogether. A. G. Bui'LFR.



RED-FACED LOVEBIRDS.


Sir,—A s you ask for a discussion re treatment of Red-faced Love¬

birds, I will begin by stating that my first lot came to me in 1880. My first



