220



Correspondence



I found wasps a great trouble, not only in eating valuable fruits, but

causing great annoyance to the parent bird, until I arranged a few

bottles filled with light ale and sugar and hung them on the outside of

the aviary. I caught them by hundreds, and fortunately not a single

bee, so I think the latter must be members of the “ Blue Ribbon

League ” !



CORRESPONDENCE


SUCCESSFUL BREEDING OF THE FESTIVE TANAGER

(Tangara cyanocephala)


You will, I think, be interested to hear that my Festive Tanagers, that did

so well when shown last season, have nested and reared one young bird. Two

eggs laid 22nd and 23rd June hatched on the 6th July. These birds were

in a cage 42 inches long by 20 inches wide by 2ff| inches high, with a pair of

Yellow-winged Sugar-birds. The young I found thrown out on the floor

of the cage. Thinking the Sugar-birds were the culprits I removed them and

replaced the young, only to find the young again on the cage floor, almost at

once. I removed the cock, and for five days all went well, then one young

one died, so I thought it best to risk returning the cock. He promptly helped

feed, and the young bird is now out of the nest, the cock still feeding it. The

young bird came out of the nest on 9th July.


Unfortunately it is blind in one eye owing, I think, to being thrown out

of the nest twice. I am sending on the bits of shell I was able to save.


Colour when hatched, bright orange ; no fluff until four days old, then a

little black.


It is now a brightish green all over, flights exactly like the adult birds.


They have built a new nest. Both parents build, but the hen alone

incubates. I think the hen will lay within the next day or so. First nest

built of fine hay in a wooden soap-box type nest, the new one in a small wire

travelling cage.


Food as usually supplied, i.e. nectar and sponge cake, insectivorous food

and hard-boiled egg with cut up mealworms, pear, orange, apple, and grapes

in separate dish.


Bembridge, (Mrs.) S. A. Pearse.


Isle of Wight.



