Correspondence



18



about a mile south of this place several times. She returned again

in October minus the brood, and the same has happened in the past

season.


The question arises as to whether it is a regular habit of Pheasants

to take their broods off when old enough to look after themselves,

and to leave them at some distance from where they were hatched.

Is this Nature’s way of preventing in-breeding ?


J. C. Laidlay.


HYBEID WAYBILLS


I have three mites of birds with tiny rings of orange round their

eyes, their mother being an Orange-cheeked, and their father a

St. Helena Waxbill. I have a true pair of Orange-cheeks and the

odd cock St. Helena (a large sized one) who lost his mate last winter.


The nest was built in an enormous box outside, just off the ground,

and there appeared to be two separate nests in this, full of feathers.

Nesting had gone on for some time and I thought the birds were

humbugging and as I wanted to bring them indoors as the nights were

very cold, I felt inside to make sure but found nothing, so there must

be still a third nest behind the other two ! The parents still go into

the nest with food so there may be yet another youngster.


They have been reared on nothing but seed and ordinary soft

food—no ants’ eggs. My second pair of Orange-cheeks will not mate

together but one has paired with a Grey Waxbill for the last two years,

although this Grey is one of a pair.


K. Drake.


Mylor, Cornwall.



LETTERS FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE

AVICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND


GOULDIAN FINCHES


My first success in breeding the above-mentioned Finches was in 1922,

while in New Plymouth.


As my records of dates, etc., have been mislaid, I now come to my second

success, particulars of which are as follows :—


Early in January, 1929, I purchased three pairs of these beautiful birds,

which were immediately liberated into my aviary, comprising closed-in

portion, 6 by 6 by 3 feet, lined with ti-tree, and nest-boxes placed high



