KIDD'S LONDON JOUKNAL. 



235 



lations imparted to the air by the flapping of 

 their wings. This may be rendered evident by 

 observing, that the noise always ceases when the 

 insect alights on any object. The sirene has 

 been ingeniously applied for the purpose of as- 

 certaining the rate at which the wings of such 

 creatures flap. The instrument being brought 

 into unison with the sound produced by the in- 

 sect, indicates, as in the case of any other mu- 

 sical sound, the rate of vibration. In this way 

 it has been ascertained that the wings of a gnat 

 flap at the rate of 15,000 times per second. The 

 pitch of the note produced by this insect in the 

 act of flying is, therefore, more than two octaves 

 above the highest note of a seven-octave piano- 

 forte. — L. 



How can I cure a Canary with Bad Habits ? — 

 Dear Mr. Editor — As you have come amongst us 

 with so much consideration and kindness, we feel 

 indeed bound to let your Paper grace our tables 

 wherever and whenever we can introduce it. 

 Your regard for our sex, so freely and affection- 

 ately expressed, has won us over, once and for 

 ever. You are a welcome guest, believe me, at 

 all times, and in all families. [We hope we shall 

 not grow vain !] But to the point. I have a very 

 favorite Canary (four years old), who has a bad 

 habit, so bad that I almost despair of curing it. 

 He picks out his small feathers and eats them ! 

 He is nearly bare. Can you, and if so, will you 

 — I know you will — kindly help me out of this 

 dilemma? I love my pet so dearly, that I 

 would make almost any sacrifice to save him. 

 Yours. — Louisa W. 



[If we say we are ' delighted ' to be able to 

 help you, Miss Louisa, in the hour of difficulty, 

 the expression is not too forcible. Your letter 

 entitles you to our Advice and Visits gratis. You 

 have carte blanche for both. We are unwilling 

 to claim the merit of the advice We are now about 

 to give you. It is justly due to a fair corre- 

 spondent, Emma by name, residing at Reading. 

 To divert your bird's attention from his unnatural 

 food, suspend a piece of pack thread, saturated 

 with sugar and water, from the top of his cage, 

 allowing it to depend nearly as low as the upper 

 perch. This thread he will peck at; and finding 

 its flavor palateable, he will transfer his affections 

 to it, and almost immediately forsake his former 

 evil propensity. In a week's time, give your pet 

 his liberty in a room for a few hours, where the 

 sun finds entrance through the window. This 

 will accomplish all you desire. Write again by 

 all means, and command our best attention at 

 every season of the year.] 



Folly of putting Canaries up for Breeding too 

 early in the Season. — You advocate birds being 

 put up for breeding in April ; you are right, as I 

 have found to my cost. Acting on my own 

 opinion, I paired my canaries the beginning of 

 March. The hen made her nest, and on the 

 fourth night afterwards she slept in it. I looked 

 next day for an egg. There was none ; the same 

 result on the next and following days. Thinking 

 she was egg-bound, I gave her boiled bread and 

 milk, groats, flax, and rape seeds; also some 

 water- cress. These did her good; and I also 

 applied oil to the vent. Next day, her first egg 



was passed ; but she has laid none since. Is she 

 fit to breed from this season, — or shall I get 

 another? She is an excellent mother to her 

 young. — Jacobus Josephus. 



[Get another hen by all means, for your pre- 

 sent requirements, and cosset the old bird till 

 she is quite restored. Provide her a new husband 

 at an early day, and keep them in a room apart 

 from the other birds.] 



Will a Goldfinch breed with a Bullfinch ? — I 

 saw a prettily-marked bird the other day, which 

 I was told had been bred from a cock gold- 

 finch and a hen bullfinch. The owner said it 

 was one of a brood of three, all of which had 

 been reared up. The song commenced with 

 the note of the bullfinch and ended with the 

 song of the goldfinch. Is this a common way 

 of crossing birds; and do you advise me to 

 try it? — J. F., Glasgow* 



[You have been hoaxed. Nature permits 

 nothing of the sort you have hinted at ; and if 

 you try the experiment, you will realise the 

 truth of what we say. If you purchase the pro- 

 digy, he will have been " sold," and you will have 

 been "done.''] 



On Pairing Canaries. — I have put up a pair of 

 canaries for breeding. The hen is so pugnacious, 

 that she will not let her spouse have a moment's 

 peace. She thumps him about from morning 

 till night. What shall I do?— J. F. 



[Effect a divorce immediately. Your birds 

 are unequally yoked. Their minds and senti- 

 ments do not assimilate. The lady requires a 

 husband that can rule his own household. Her 

 early assumption of the reins of power show 

 what she is. Try again.] 



Avidavats Breeding in Aviaries.— My avidavats 

 have built their nests, and laid their eggs, but 

 the shells are soft, and break as soon as laid. 

 How shall I remedy this? [Strew the floor of 

 your aviary with powdered chalk, and well- 

 bruised old mortar. They will eat this, and all 

 will be right.] I have now eighty birds in my 

 aviary, and it is really delightful, as well as 

 wonderful, to observe their sagacity, and to note 

 their kindly feelings one towards the other. — 

 H. B., Rugby. 



[We envy you your aviary, — we do indeed. 

 We once had an aviary, its value unappreciable ; 

 for it contained rarities collected with incon- 

 ceivable trouble, during a period of fifteen years. 

 You are too well aware how the inmates were 

 sacrificed, for us to attempt to repeat it. You 

 have an inexhaustible fund of amusement and 

 instruction in your aviary. May you long live 

 to enjoy so delightful a study !] 



Affection in a Greenfinch. — A fortnight ago, a 

 friend of mine who had winged a greenfinch, 

 brought him to me as a present, knowing I had 

 an aviary. At first I refused the bird, there 

 being already one of the same kind in the 

 aviary; but I was afterwards prevailed upon to 

 change my mind, and turned him in with the rest. 

 A few hours subsequently, I was not a little de- 

 lighted to observe the wounded bird carefully 

 tended by the other greenfinch, who, coming to 



