150



Correspondence



selected myself from a beautifully clean river in this neighbourhood (a

tributary of the Wye). I daresay this is as free from contamination as it

is possible to get anywhere, but with all its washing it appeared to contain

far too much dust.


As most of our members are aware, I have specialized in Gouldian Finches

for many years (although I have many other birds too), but to my amazement

I have not lost a single bird from pneumonia since I adopted the use of this

clean sea sand, and I have used it for nearly two winters, from January,

1934, onwards. If post-mortem results are anything to go by, Gouldian

Finches and many other exotics seem to be particularly subject to pneumonia,

and I had come to the conclusion, before I saw Mr. Wilcock’s letter, that

the dust and dirt in the river sand was evidently one of the causes of many

losses from pneumonia, hence my trying sea sand in preference to the river

sand I was able to get locally. I also believe the small amount of saline

in the sea sand is good for the birds.


From five pairs of Gouldians I had thirty young ones leave the nests

last breeding season. Out of these two died, two were sold, and I still have

twenty-six left. Most of these are now well advanced in the moult, and

are progressing well. Of the two I lost, one died a few days after leaving

the nest and the other whilst I was away from home during a spell of bad

weather. Taken all round, these birds (many of which are fourth generation

aviary-bred), are the finest youngsters I have seen reared, but I do not put

this down entirely to the change in the sand. Their general health and

fitness I feel sure is largely due to the almost complete elimination of dust

from the aviaries. This sand on the aviary floor is sieved every fortnight—

oftener if needed—through a sieve of 225 mesh to the square inch, an

unpleasant job with the river sand, but much less irksome now.


My small aviaries are absolutely draught proof, and have no heating

arrangements or artificial lighting, but “ Sunralite ” shutters are fitted during

winter and inclement weather. In these aviaries Ruficaudas, Bichenos,

various Waxbills, and some forty odd Gouldians spent the winter, and my

only losses were the two Gouldians mentioned, one hen Diamond Sparrow

(egg-bound), and one Pileated Finch which died in the moult.


Last breeding season I completely eliminated the use of eggs, bread, and

milk, and the results were most satisfactory and encouraging.


It is a pity that more of our members with small or large collections do

not send details of their season’s breeding results to our Magazine. Personally,

I find these details most interesting.


P. W. Teague.



The goat-like smell Mr. Sydney Porter comments on in the Masked

Parrakeet is a natural characteristic, and is not due to bad management.

When properly fed, the Pyrrhulopsis Parrakeets seem to do well as aviary

birds in sub-tropical countries, even those with dry climates. I sent four

or five birds of two species to California where they did well, but unfortunately

the Masked were both males and the others, which laid eggs, were both females.

If they had been pairs I think they might have bred.


In Britain the Pyrrhulopsis are birds for the wealthy aviculturalist only,

as they need outdoor aviaries for the summer and warm and roomy indoor

quarters for the winter. Given these conditions I should not despair of their

breeding, though they might be difficult.



Tavistock.



