]80 
Correspondence . 
soft food, such rii)c fruit as they will take, a little minced raw meat, ;ind live 
food (1(1 !ih. nothing will come amiss in this resi)ect, grasshopiims, cock- 
roaches, and almost any creeping thing, which with their larvaj and pupie 
will all help to fill the capacious maw of the Jay Thrushes, and a small 
mouse or fledgeling will be quite agreeable when available. En.] 
HOMING INSTINCT. 
Sir. — I wonder if you will think the following of sufficient 
interest for piablication : — 
A fortnight ago I turned into my aviary about 50 Grey and 
Orange Cheek Waxhills — the aviary then having no other occu- 
pants. 
Within 10 minutes all hut three or four were out, and most 
of them sitting on the toi) of the aviary : for some time they flitted 
about, but eventually all went. 
I have rejieatedly had these varieties there, an<l have never 
before had one escape, but tliese came through the wires with per- 
fect ease. 
I followed parties of them and traced them to various 
gardens (the whole of the neighbourhood is built over), and 
counted 17 on a wall fully a quarter of a mile away. Others were 
seen at some distance in various directions. 
During the evening they began to return in parties of three 
and four or so, until about 20 arrived, hnt they did not seem to 
able to gain an entrance. 
At last I cut a hole in the to]i of the aviary, they found it 
and soon settled down. 
By nightfall, all but si.r liad retiinifd, in fact every Grey 
Waxbill which went came back, those missing being Orange 
Cheeks alone, and, strange to say, not a bird has been out of the 
aviary since ; this in spite of the fact that I have not closed the 
hole I made for their return. 
These birds were fresh arrivals, and liad only spent about 
10 days in my bird-room, tliey therefoi'c had r.o knowledge of the 
aviary. 
Also, they were nf)t in one party during the day, but in 
small groups. I wonder if others have had similar experiences. 
I have often had Waxhills escape singly from my room 
and always have easily re-cai)tured them, l)ut this has been by 
means of another bird. T. HADLP^Y. 
