340 
Correspondence. 
Obituary: We regret to have to announce the de- 
cease of the following' members, both of whom have been on 
the roll for 10 years: — 
Miss E. L. Jardine (December, 1902). 
Mr. T. Newbold (December, 1902). 
Correspondence. 
THE EUROPEAN BEE EATER. 
Sir, — You were kind eiioug-h to ask for further particulars 
of Lady Kathleen Pilkiugton's Bee-Eater. 
I am glad to say that up to the present we have been most 
successful with it. After feedinig! it with mealwoim?, wasp grubs and 
gentles on a quill for some days it learned to pick up' food for it- 
self and can do so quite Well, if left alone, but much prefers to be 
fed by hand. If you are near, it will sit with its food only 
a few inches away without making the slightest effort to pick it 
up for itself, yet whistling hungrily to you all the time to come and 
feed it. It is the most helpless bird [ ever saw. If you are feed- 
ing it and it drops' a mealworm, it will not make any attempt to pick 
it up. As a pet it is most attractive, as it so perfectly tame and 
confiding; in fact, it looks to you for all its wants, but it could 
not be recommended to anyone who had not jileaty of time to devote 
to it. Of course I do not know if it would beliave difTei-ently in an 
aviary. 
It always greets you with a pleased whistle and looks for 
dainties. As far as I know it never takes a bath and no one has 
ever seen it drink here. 
It likes to fly backwards and forwards in its large cage, but 
IS very awkward about perching, frequently missing its p-erch, and! 
fluttering on to another. 
It has done well on gentles, mealworms, and soft food pellets, 
and wasp <grubs; it is particularly fond of the latter and now that 
they are unluckily over, we are g'oing to try it with I'aw meat. 
It is in very good plumage, and is a beauti'ful and most 
attractive bird. It is a great favourite with the whole family, 
owing to its helplessness, and great tameness. If you offer it a meal- 
worm in your fingers it generally takes your finger instead, as it 
does not seem able to focus the mealworm. 
November 2, 1912. AUGUSTS BRUCE. 
