32 Correspondence



those places, no one better. One hardly ever hears of any of these Pheasants

being imported.


The Bulwer’s cock is a lovely bird with his pure white tail (which does not

become pure white until he is three years old). He is truly beautiful and

expensive !


I think the Melanistic should feel a very proud bird after being discussed

and talked about so much ! As everyone seems to think differently of this

bird my advice is, leave him in peace. He has come to stay in our woods,

to be shot at and eaten, so let it rest at that. He tastes quite nice.


Scott-Hopkins.



COCKATIELS AND GREEN FOOD


Those who can speak authoritatively on the breeding of Parrakeets,

and have had more experience than I can possibly hope to acquire, generally

recommend the unlimited use of green food throughout the breeding season.

In these days one hears much of vitamins, and whereas one is told that

certain green salads contain practically all the known vitamins in good

quantity, yet the albuminoid value is low.


On this information I conducted a small experiment this season with a pair

of Cockatiels. The aviary was a 20 ft., outdoor, unheated ; the nest, in

both cases, a 6 ft. bottomless tree-trunk standing in the open flight. The

dates given are those when the first of the brood left the nest.


(1) Hatched 16th April; vacated 30th May, i.e. forty-one days in nest.

In this case an unlimited supply of fresh green food was maintained as through¬

out the winter, chiefly groundsel and chickweed, yet on leaving the nest all

the young of this brood were unable to fly. There is no question of “ French

moult ”, within a week they were strong on the wing and perfectly feathered.


(2) Hatched 1st July ; vacated 3rd August, i.e. thirty-four days in nest.

In this case no green food was given for the first fortnight, afterwards in

strictly limited quantities. The brood was larger than in the first case yet

all the young left the nest with good control of their flight.


The birds had been in possession of this aviary for twelve months and had

not previously been in cramped confinement. Fertility was, in fact, excep¬

tionally good, all eggs hatching with the exception of one in which the young

died in shell.


There may possibly be another explanation of this curious result, but

until one is suggested to me I shall in future certainly conduct my breeding

attempts with my Parrakeets on the fines of Case (2).


T. R. Holmes Watkins.



FLIGHTLESS CORMORANT AT THE ZOO


The Zoological Society received on 21st December, by presentation

from Lord Moyne, an example of the Flightless Cormorant (Nannopterum

harrisi) from the Galapagos Islands.



