140



Correspondence



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should be allowed to have access to fresh water daily. One of the greatest

drawbacks with these birds is that no two birds of the same species must



be kept together, as they are sure to fight, and the weaker one is apt to get

killed.



A. Martin.



I have a very fine Sunbird ( Chalcomitra gutturalis), which, all the time

I have had it, has never shown any inclination to bathe. Nevertheless, I have

sprayed it daily, which it seems to enjoy. A few days ago I filled its dish with

rain water, which happened to be handy. Shortly afterwards I noticed the

bird go down to drink (which most Sunbirds are rarely seen to do) and, having

had a sip, proceed to give himself a really satisfactory bath. Since then

I have used rain water, and the bird scarcely misses a day without drenching

himself. At first I was greatly surprised to see him bathing as he had never

shown the slightest interest in water, but then I realized that perhaps it might

be more than a mere coincidence that the provision of rain water and his first

bath should have taken place on the same day. When we remember that wild

birds are very fond of bathing in wet foliage, I think we need hardly be

amazed that the softness of rain water should seem attractive to them.

I doubt not that this habit will give an extra gloss to the bird’s already

gem-like plumage.


From observations on the Sunbirds which I have possessed—certainly over

a dozen species—I have been forced to the conclusion that the majority of

species care not greatly for any insects larger than the minute forms that fill

the air on a warm evening. Further, I am convinced that they never extract

live food from flowers by means of their tongues as is often stated in textbooks.

It is curious that, whereas the small Cinnyris michrorhynchus and Cyrtostomus

asiaticus are fond of fairly large flies and spiders, the larger Chalcomitra

gutturalis , Cinnyris habessinicus and Nectarinia famosa, etc., find great

difficulty in swallowing anything larger than a gnat and, when they do

succeed in getting it down, generally throw it up again. A good way of

providing insect food for these larger Sunbirds is by putting the cage out of

doors in warm weather near a bush or wall, which attracts those minute forms

of life which dance in clouds. It is curiously fascinating to watch the birds

snapping at these in the air.


Anthony Chaplin.



MR. LEWIS OF HARRODS


Aviculturists wifi be interested to learn that Mr. Lewis, who has for so

many years managed the Zoological Department at Harrods, has now set

up on his own at 179 Brompton Road. Here will be found birds of all sorts,

dogs of many breeds, and the smaller pet mammals, also general requisites,

cages, etc.


Mr. Lewis is an aviculturist of no small merit, having kept many of the

rarer foreign birds, such as Sunbirds, Sugar-birds, Tanagers, and the like,

and he won the medal for successfully breeding the Orange-flanked Parrakeet

for the first time in captivity.


Mr. Lewis hopes to specialize more in the rarer species of birds rather than

the commoner kinds, and he will be pleased to advise any member on general

livestock. I am sure we all wish Mr. Lewis success in his new venture.


E. Maud Knobel.



