72 
L oyrcs poiidoicc 
cage, vvJiich 1 shall be pleased to lend to anyone with a cock to try and breed 
them, if they will pay carriat^e. The bird is in a cold room, is very tame and 
very hardy ; it has been with nie about ten years. 
Tarrant Keyneston Manor, Dorset. W. A. BAINBRIDGE. 
March 6th, 1920. 
BREEDING fP EGRETS IN CAPTIVITY. 
Sir, — I see in the records of birds which have bred in captivity m 
January Bird Noths there is mention of Egrets being bred in the Giza 
Zoological Gardens, just how they were bred being queried. 
I visited the Gardens in the siunmer of 1917 and 18, and did not notice 
that any of the Egrets in captivity were breeding, but I did notice the wild 
r.^rets in the Gardens breeding; all the nests I saw were on the same tree, 
which contained, as far as I can remember, between twenty and thirty nests. 
These birds were certainly breeding in the Gardens, but were nevertheless wild, 
^oing off into the surrounding country and along the banks of the Nile, 
foraging for food; and this is how, I should presume, the Egrets Capt. 
I'lowers refers to were bred in 191,^ 
There was quite a continuous cloud of these beautiful snow-white birds 
over ajid around the tree containing the nests, making one of the most 
interesting sights of the Gardens. I do not know the different species of 
Egrets, and am presuming these a^c the Eittle Egrets referred to. 
By what I have seen, Egrets are not at all rare in Egypt to-day, 
a'though I understand at one time they were almost exterminated. 
Leicester, February 5th, 1920. R. H. C.\RR. 
THE AFFINITY OF BIRDS AND CHILDREN 
Sir, — Over the past few years, since 1 noticed particularly th« habile 
of birds, both in my aviaries anil in the wild slate, I have been most interested. 
One point recentlv brought home to me is that birds prefer company 
and preferablv that of quite young children. I was surprised to find that, 
although the birds in the aviary knew me well, they would always ri\ about 
as though startled, whereas, my baby daughter would play about the wire 
walls and they took not the least notice ©f her. 
I hung out a nest-box to entice the tits to build in the garden, whicli 
the\ dul\- accomplished. The two children played within five \ar(ls, in a 
s:ind pit 1 made for them, while the Ijirds built the nest and reared the young. 
The birds would not go to the box if I stood or sat within fifteen yards of it. 
1 do not care for keeping birds in cages as a rule, but particularly wanted 
to hear the Black-capped Warbler and Nightingale in full song, so secured two 
good birds. The Black-cap was an adult bird but did not sing, although 
thoroughly well fed and looked aftar. I tried a quiet place for him, a light 
])lace — but no result. I said in desperation " the children had better have it 
in the nursery," of course, much to their delight. The bird was warbling 
in an hour, and has sung regularly since ! The Nightingale question was a 
poser. 1 read that they should have a quiet room, and in twelve months he 
lias had quiet and noisy, and dark and bright pasitions, but not a v\arl)le ! 
He is a fine bird, tame and in good condition. The other day the nurse 
suggested putting him in the nursery for a change. He w;is w;irbling away 
as " happy as Larry " within an hour I 
March 16th, 1920. II. C. \V. 
