Correspondence



247



it had no feathers except on its wings. It has now been out six or seven

days, and is quickly getting its feathers. The parents are very attentive,

and are much more confiding since the baby arrived, coming to my hand for

white mealworms—the newly-skinned ones—which is the only live food I have

been able to provide.


I am wondering whether it is usual for these New Zealand Zops. to leave

the nest so early. The old ones seemed to regard it as a natural event.


T. W. Taylor.


[Zosterops lateralis occurs also in the eastern parts of Australia, Tasmania,

and Chatham Island.— Ed.]



AN ALBINO HOUSE MYNAH


When I was in Bombay a few weeks ago I called on an aviculturist there,

and amongst the birds he had was an Albino House Mynah. He very kindly

gave me this bird, and I brought it home. I have it now in my aviary, and

it seems to be doing well. I thought this might interest some of your readers,

as I have never heard of an Albino House Mynah before. I would be pleased

to hear if any of our readers have heard of one before.


J. D. Brunton.



BREEDING DUFRESNE’S WAXBILL


I have a nest of Dufresne’s Waxbills ; two have already flown, and there

are either one or two others in the nest, but of course I dare not look.


I am writing to you at once, as I am anxious to know if they have been

bred before in this country.


Elsie Robinson.



THE AMERICAN MUSEUM’S WHITNEY EXPEDITION


Having heard complaints of the wholesale collecting of rare birds by the

members of the above expedition, we gladly reproduce the following letter

from The Auk of July, 1934, a copy of which has been sent us by Dr. Frank

Chapman.— Ed.


“ Editor of The Auk.


“ On behalf of the American Museum of Natural History, I beg to acknow¬

ledge your courtesy in permitting me to reply to the letter which, under date

of 27th April, 1934, the Marquess of Tavistock writes to you for publication

in your pages. In so doing, however, I must express my regret that considera¬

tion for his fellow-workers, if not protection for himself, did not induce the

Marquess to attempt to confirm the charges he makes against this Museum’s

Whitney Expedition before giving them publicity. The facts are as follows :—


“ Of ‘ the small Lory ’ which the Marquess states ‘ is only found on a

mountain in the interior of Viti Levu ’ and which we are said to ‘ have

apparently exterminated ’ by ‘ killing no less than forty-seven ’ specimens,

we secured twelve examples all taken during a short one-week trip, proof to



