62



Correspondence



of the Australian National Research Council and other scientific bodies

of Australia, and administered by a small committee appointed by the

Commonwealth Government. Though the primary object of these

expeditions was anthropological research a considerable amount of

general zoological work was also carried out and notes on the bird life

taken and a collection made.


The result is this very interesting survey of the ecology of the district

now published, consisting of notes of the number of birds seen, the kind

of places which each species frequents, the measurements of those

obtained, their nests and eggs, food, and song. It is satisfactory

that the collectors appear to have been content with a moderate number

of specimens. The book is illustrated with photographs of various kinds

of birds and nests.


E. F. C.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


THE CHERRY FINCH—A CORRECTION


We were interested, though somewhat surprised, at a statement that

appeared in the note accompanying the Caley plate on Cherry Finches in the

December issue of the Magazine, to the effect that these birds are “ one of the

hardiest and most easily managed of the Australian Finches 55 .


Judging by our own considerable experience of them and that of other

aviculturists with whom we have discussed them, Cherry Finches would

seem to merit exactly the opposite of this sanguine description, and one is

tempted, therefore, to assume that this statement must have been culled

from some old book, usually a most unreliable source of information.


We have had at various times numerous pairs of Cherry Finches here at

Keston, some of which have reared fine broods of young ones with us.

Unfortunately, however, a bird that is willing to breed may be just as willing

to die—in this case suddenly and without the slightest cause—and this,

coupled with their inability to winter out of doors without heat, has been our

invariable experience with this beautiful Finch.


Edward J. Boosey.


I regret intensely that I have published an inaccurate statement con¬

cerning the hardiness of the Cherry Finch, and am greatly obliged to

Mr. Boosey for his letter. I have never kept Cherry Finches, so had recourse

to Butler’s Foreign Finches in Captivity and Foreign Birds in Cage and

Aviary, works which I believed to be reliable, which describe this Finch

as “ perfectly hardy, capable of standing severe winters in an unheated

aviary.” — Ed.



