112



Correspondence



Dr. HOPKINSON’S “ RECORDS ”


In the current Avicultural Magazine (February, 1933), I notice

an error occurring in Dr. Hopkinson’s “ More Additions to Breeding Records

He states that some parrotlet Hybrids were bred in California and identified

by me as Forpus v. vividus X F. coelestis . This is wrong ; from the descrip¬

tion given by Mrs. Tomlinson I suspected that the male was not coelestis ,

so asked her to kindly send me the mounted specimen she had of a bird that

had died earlier. She complied and it was identified as Forpus conspicillatus ,

So her Hybrids were of Forpus conspicillatus (male) X F. v. vividus (female).

I don’t understand how this mis-statement occurred in Dr. Hopkinson’s list,

but hope you will correct it in the Magazine.


■ Karl Plath.



A FEATHER-PLUCKING PARROT


Can you help me in the following case of a Parrakeet feather plucking.

It is quite bare except for its head and wings. It is allowed out of its cage

and is out of doors every day possible. It is fed on the usual sunflower

seed mixture, but has fruit and green food. It is not given any meat, but

occasional cake and tea to drink. I should be so much obliged if some member

will help me in this case.


Mabel A. Hewley.



SOME BREEDING RESULTS IN COPENHAGEN


During 1932 I bred four youngsters of Bathilda ruficauda, five

Sporaeginthus clarlcei, and seven Estrilda astrild. I had two youngsters of

Neisa dufresnei but, unfortunately, the cock died and the hen left the

youngsters. Otherwise, it would have been a first breeding record. In 1931

I reared, by using Bengalese as fosters, two young of Pytelia melba, which

died at six or seven months old in nearly full adult plumage. I was interested

to learn that they were at this age in adult plumage, as, in my opinion, it

takes rather a long time for Pytelia phoenicoptera to become adult.


Perhaps some of my notes should be of interest to Dr. Hopkinson.


C. af. Enehjelm.



BREEDING MEALWORMS AT HOME


A lady writes : “ For many years I have produced my own mealworms

at practically no cost. A long box in our entrance hall, with scraps of carpet,

layers of chicken meal, brown paper, and a layer of bran, also a welcome

addition when the beetles are laying eggs in the summer, soaked dog-biscuit,

or anything moist. This arrangement will produce thousands of mealworms,

and these twice the size of bought ones, if well fed. No trouble whatever.”



