Carres [^otidoicc 
225 
for previous to coming' to nic, but tlu-y were all thin, and T concluded tlirit 
soniethinff was wantino- in their dietary. They much prefer Spray to Indian 
millet, and do not touch white millet or canary seed so far as 1 can judf^e, 
neither can they tackle mealworms. 
Doubtless they would like <,n-een tly — my birds, however, devour suuiU. 
clean gentles, and when given a dish of my own ground rice mixture they all 
crowd round the dish and feed on this for several minutes. 
1 am quite sure that their delicac}- is due to the lack of some \ itann'ne, 
which, 1 hope, I am supplying by giving the last two named foods. 
The birds arc certainly looking much fitter and more contenteil since 
thev have Ijeen so treated. They have only been in my jiossession for the 
])ast ten days — but there have been no casualties. 
The ground rice mi.xture is made with boiling cow's milk (not con- 
densed), ground rice, and a little " honey-sugar." 
Eton: September 4th, 19JI. (Dr.) M. AMSLER. 
UNUSUAL BEHAVIOUR OE LONG-TAILED GRASSFINCHES. 
Sill, — 1 should have written you before this thanking you for your 
letter and advice on the behaviour of my pair of Long-tails with young birds. 
You will be pleased to hear that both are good birds ; the one which 
th.e Bengalese had is the finer of the two and left the nest two days prior ^o 
the youngster the parent Long-tails reared. 
The foster-parents had their baby ten days before it left the nest, and 
during this time they changed from their usual timid and nervous manners 
cotnjiletely. Usually by putting my hand near their nest they would at once 
leave it, but when they had die young bird they would hide their heads in 
the hay and refuse to come out; I did not force them from the nest, and only 
once caught sight of the little Long-tail, though I repeatedly heard 
it being fed and knew it was therefore alive and well. Ijoth youngster birds 
have left their respective nests about a week ago. The parent Long-tails did 
not interfere at all, and the Bengalese have now and again fed both the Long- 
tails, but the parents have been quite content to feed the bird thev had. and 
n,ade no attempt to satisfy the other with food. 
I have every reason to think that l oth birds wiil now do well, eve.i 
should the parent Long-tails not continue to feed their one. the Bengalese T 
am sure will be happy to provide meals for the two. 
The Long-tails have made a nest (the fourth this year) in another box. 
and laid two eggs ; I expect they will lay others and probably bring oft 
another nest ; if so, I hope they will repeat what they did last September, and 
present me with a brood of five and successfully rear them all themselves. 
I might add that I am still wanting an exchange of Long-tails ; I have 
• pair (irom the same parents) of last year's birds, and there mav be a pair 
in the two voung T now have. I was not successful in getting " fres' blood ' 
this season, and 'f nny member could assist me now or later I should bt- l'U<\. 
New Maiden, Surrey, Septembe- ist. iqzi- R X I'fllU'.ARD 
