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Correspondence



severe tubercular trouble from which she miraculously recovered many

years ago. She is the fifth bird in my collection to die mainly, or

entirely, of old age, but all five were aged or fully mature specimens

when received, and their total age was quite unknown.


Tavistock.



THE MOULTING OF BIRDS OF PARADISE


Although most of the Birds of Paradise seem to be quite

hardy and fairly easy to cater for, their moult seems to be a difficult

problem, the new feathers remaining in their sheaths for a long time,

and then becoming hard and brittle, and breaking off at the least

touch. Then when the birds eventually get through their moult they

seem to be listless and weak without sufficient energy to face the winter.

I think more birds are lost through this faulty moult than from any

other cause, and am sure an article on the subject in the Magazine

would fill a much-needed want.


A. Martin.


[The condition referred to by Mr. Martin is especially noticeable in

the Six-plumed birds (Parotid), which naturally live in a very damp

climate and there is little doubt that it is due to insufficient moisture.

A daily shower-bath would be good for these birds.— Ed.]



GRASS FOR YOUNG LOVEBIRDS


Further to my former letter re young Masked Lovebirds leaving

the nest not fully fledged.


Previously I mentioned the pair of Masked birds in my own aviaries

that always produced perfect young ones, their aviary being well

covered with grass, principally cocksfoot, prairie grass, and rye. In

another aviary, where there was very little grass, two pairs of Masked

Lovebirds had young, not fully fledged. These two pairs were trans¬

ferred to another aviary, well covered with grass, and one of them has

since had a nest from which the young left in perfect feather. In

another aviary, where some Fischer’s Lovebirds were breeding and in



