204



Correspondence



also I have had deaths from over-fatness which sometimes results in fits.

Because a bird lives for, say, 6 or even 12 months and appears to be in perfect

health and then dies, it does not, in my opinion, mean that you have fed and

treated it correctly. On the treatment I advised, I kept in full health a Purple

Sunbird for 10^ years ; also my well-known winning Malachite lived for close

upon 9 years. I could point to many more nectar-feeding birds, apart from

Sunbirds, that have done well on this weak syrup, but will only mention two.

Yellow-wing Sugar Bird, 10 years ; Swainson’s Lorikeet, 9 years, and still

going strong. With such results as these I cannot for one moment think my

treatment could have been wrong. In closing may I throw out a suggestion

about Tanagers ( Calliste ) mentioned by Mr. Chaplin ? Treat these as advised

for Sunbirds and half our troubles will be over, and they will live much longer.


A. Martin.



“ YADIL ” FOR ROUPE AND GAPES


About a month ago a friend brought me a young Gouldian to see

what I could do with it, as it was blind in one eye. Two days later it developed

a thick cheesy matter around the nostrils, and had the offensive smell of

roupe. Anyway, I strictly isolated it and treated with “ Yadil ”. It is now

practically fit and well again, and my friend writes to say he has lost, I think

he said, three other Gouldians from the same trouble and the p.m. report is

roupe, as I surmised at first. I have never come across roupe before in Finches,

although I have treated dozens of cases in poultry. By the way, there was some

correspondence in the Magazine about gapes and worms in Spico Starlings,

etc. The best preventative and cure for gapes and worms I ever used was

raw garlic smashed up and put in the drinking water. At least this is what

I regularly used for my Bantams, Poultry, and Pheasants in Natal. This

is one reason why I favour the use of “ Yadil ”, as I understand garlic is

one of its chief ingredients.


A. W. Teague.



ADDITIONS TO BREEDING RECORDS

Dr. Hopkinson’s series of articles under the above heading, which

have been appearing in the Magazine for some months past, have been

reprinted and form a very useful appendix to his volume Records of

Birds Bred in Captivity, which was published in 1926. Since that year

the list has been greatly increased, but the Additions bring it up to

date. The number of reprints published is very limited, but copies

can be obtained, while they last, from the Editor at 2s. 6d. each.



