Correspondence. 223


the Bengalee exhibits certain features of both species, and I am quite ready

to admit that the tendency to revert to U. acuticauda when either species is

crossed with the Bengalee favours the view that the smaller and generally

weaker fawn (and its white variety) was first produced ; yet if a cross be-

tween a Striated-finch and Bengalee at the present time results in a Sharp-

tailed-finch, how was the dark-brown and white variety ever produced at

all ? A. G. Butter.



INSPECTION OF BIRD SHOPS.


Sir, — Why not appoint a small Committee to visit the different bird

shops, and those which the Committee think fit let the names and addresses

of the firms be published in the Magazine as suitable places for purchasing

birds ? I am quite sure the Society could do a lot of good in this respect.

Even if my suggestion could not be adopted, surely the Society could adopt

a "foreign member or agent" as Mr. Porter suggests. I would help in

giving a trifle to a fund if one was required. C. CastIvE-Si^oane.



HOOPOES IN CAPTIVITY.


vSir, — As Mr. E. G. B. Meade - Waldo mentions in the Magazine

Hoopoes certainly are difficult to keep. I bought several of these some

time ago hoping to keep them in my outdoor aviary, but alas, just as they

would fly to the door for mealworms, and were getting so tame that one

almost walked on them, the}' dropped off one by one. They always had a

fresh tray full of mould which they loved to probe over, and on coming

across a worm would run to a secluded spot and with numerous taps

manage to break it up, or, if one was not quick enough to get away, a

tug of war would be the result. Although I tried these birds on ants''

eggs, raw meat, etc. and some soft food which one of them was supposed to

eat, they would have none of it, and subsisted on mealworms only for about

six months, so they certainly did get through a quantity as they were not

stinted in this their one and only food. C. Casti.e-Si.oane.



"MOORHENS AND COOTS OF INDIA."


Sir, — In my paper on the Moorhens and Coots of India in the April

number referring to the Coot, p. 172, lines 1-2, read : " They dive without

the preliminary jump. I have since discovered that this is not correct.

They do jump. This is not discernable en masse when seen from a distance,

but is quite noticeable, when a single bird is close at hand or viewed

through field glasses. Had I had my field glasses with ine when I made

the notes this error would not have occurred which I feel is now incumbent

on me to rectify. Gordon Dalgijesh.



