Correspondence 149



OBITUARY


MAJOR E. J. T. HOUSDEN


It is with the deepest regret that we have to report the death of

Major E. J. T. Housden, M.C., Royal Artillery (eldest son of Mr. J. B.

Housden), who died in the Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot,

from injuries received from falling from his horse. Major Housden was

in command of the 70th Battery, 24th Field Brigade, R.A., and had

served in the Royal Artillery for twenty-five years.


He was buried with full military honours at Aldershot Military

Cemetery on Wednesday, 3rd April.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


BREEDING OF THE WHOOPER SWAN


Your members who breed waterfowl may be interested in a rather uniqe

breeding of the Whooper Swan in America.


In 1933, for the first time in America, I believe, a pair of Whooper Swans

at the Kellogg Sanctuary, Battle Creek, Mich., nested and reared two young.


In 1934 this pair w T hich bred the previous season laid seven eggs. Six

were injured by chilling, but the seventh was transferred to an incubator

when the parent Swans deserted the nest and was duly hatched. It was

given to a Leghorn hen to rear, but soon outgrew the foster-mother and left

her. This bird was successfully reared and became a great nuisance about

the place by following the men and begging to be fed.


So far as I know this is the first instance of a young Whooper being

incubator hatched and successfully reared. I have been informed that the

Whooper does not breed readily in confinement, even in Europe, so this

unusual circumstance may be of interest.


C. L. Sibley.


SUNNYFIELDS FARM,


Wallingford, Conn.



DANGER IN DUSTY SAND


Mr. Wilcock’s letter on the above subject in the January issue was interesting

and worthy of attention.


I have been hoping that some of our members with more extensive aviaries

than I have would give us their observations on this subject, but as no one

has written, perhaps my observations will be of interest to our members,

even if they do not cover such a lengthy period as I should like before coming

to definite conclusions.


Some sixteen months ago I commenced using clean sea sand from Bridport

for all my cages and aviaries, and up to now it has proved most satisfactory.

For many years I had always used clean river sand, which I always carefully



