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Correspondence



eggs on 4th July. During all these “ sittings 55 they used but two

nesting places, both largely hidden from view. On 11th July the

seventh setting of eggs was deposited, and on 25th July two young

hatched. This is the first time that this pair of Doves has had young.

At this writing the female is frequently off the nest to fight the male

unmercifully, so that I had to remove him temporarily from the aviary.

The moment she found that the male was gone she returned to her

as yet tiny youngsters.


One of the most important and difficult problems is to find Doves

which will serve as foster-parents. Some Dove fanciers use Kingneck

Doves with reasonably good success ; others the California Mourning

Dove. It seems that as soon as the Kingneck Doves discover that

the colouring of their offspring is dark, they leave them. Some breeders

have overcome this negative tendency by placing the nest-boxes of

these foster-parents in such dark places that the birds cannot detect

the colour of the young until these have left the nest.


Decently a shipment of the Martinican (or Aurita) Doves (Zenaida

aurita ) found its way to California, being disposed of at from $20

to $25 a pair. It is claimed that this is the first importation into

this country.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


THE PARROT BAN


A moment’s consideration by those who are antagonistic towards the

opinions and suggestions put forward by Mr. Porter in his excellent article

on the Parrot Ban, should suffice to convince them of the elementary fact

that, had it not been for the type of dealer to which Mr. Porter refers,

psittacosis and the Parrot Ban would be unknown.


Any legislation for the prevention of cruelty to birds by this type of

dealer is denounced by those who mistake it for an attack on Aviculture,

but more generally by those who claim to be bird lovers, who refer to birds

as “our feathered friends”, and whose chief argument appears to be that

it is not as cruel as fox-hunting.


As your correspondent says, the matter is one of great importance to

aviculturists, therefore, I say, Mr. Porter’s article was well worthy of

inclusion in the Magazine.



J. J. Ye ALL AND.



