Correspondence. 161


Any of the smaller Game-birds which can be readily obtained should be

brought home.


The best cage in which to import birds is one open only in front (a

box-cage in fact) with a muslin blind to draw over it, and tins to slide in in

front for food and water; the perches should run from end to end, and at

the bottom should be a narrow opening along the front into which a sheet

of thick paper can be introduced to catch the droppings and thus keep the

cage clean ; this paper can be renewed without trouble as soon as it becomes

foul. For feeding ^insectivorous birds it would be well to take out a good

supply of " Century Food," though hard-boiled egg and potato chopped up-

together will answer for a time. A. G. BuTLER.



THE STRIATED COLY.


Sir, — I should be so very much obliged if you could tell me if there

are any definite sexual differences in the case of Coitus striatus ?


I picked up two specimens lately which look much alike. By the

way mine have black throats. Is this Striatus or some allied species ?


Is anything known about the nesting habits of this species ?


W. E. Teschemaker.

The following reply has been sent to Mr. Teschemaker :


When I examined the series of Colies in the collection of the

Natural History Museum for my articles on the sexing of Cage-birds

published in " Canary and Cage-bird Life," I found that the female of the

Striated Coly differed from the male in her longer and broader beak, with

more curved upper mandible, the only difference in colouring which I could

discover was that the crown of her head was paler; rather more ashy.


The throat of the Striated Coly is described as ashy brown with

darker vermiculations (like the upper breast and sides). I forget exactly

what the Black-necked Coly is like, but it might be worth while to look it

up : the sexual difference would probably be similar.


The Colies build small open nests in bushes, using bark, twigs and

weeds for the structure and fresh leaves or fronds for the lining ; they are

supposed to lay from five to seven eggs of a dirty white colour.


A. G. Butler.



TREATMENT OF SHAMAH.

Sir, — The Hon. Mary E. Hawke wishes to know how some of our

members feed Shamahs. The following is my method and my bird is a

perfect picture, and singing: two parts of fine game meal, one part each of

dried flies, ants' eggs, finecrissel and the pupae of silkworms, mixed together

and damped with hot water till crumbly. Some da}'s a little potato or

scraped carrot added, and a few mealworms per day. He is in a large cage,

about 8ft. high, 6ft. by 8ft. wide, and has plenty of room. They do hot^do^

well in a small cage. The}* require plenty of water. The best way to get



