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Correspondence



slielf, and I do not think I am giving away a committee secret when I

say that a booklet will be issued within the course of a few months. Our

finances have improved and one member in particular has come forward

and promised financial support for such a project.



MEDAL AWARDS


The Society’s Medal has been awarded to the following Members for

successfully breeding the undermentioned birds for the first time in the

United Kingdom.


Dr. Amsler for breeding the Amethyst Starling.


Mr. A. Ezra for breeding the Silky Starling.


Mr. F. Johnson for breeding Jamieson’s Fire Finch.


Dr. Macklin for breeding the Royal Parrot Finch.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


AN EXPLANATION


In view of the correspondence which Mr. Webb’s article on bird importa¬

tion has caused, I feel it my duty to point out that Mr. Webb was to the last

very reluctant to write his views at all, knowing that many aviculturists

would consider such an opinion from a collector as bad taste. However,

after more than a year, I succeeded in persuading him to express views that

belong to us both on a matter which we have many times discussed together.


I consider it very generous of Mr. Webb to give us those views under the

circumstances, and I am glad that aviculturists in the main agree with them.


I am sorry Mr. Venner objects to a more scientific treatment of the

Magazine, for many thinking members will see at once that a society which

does work of economic value is more worthy than one with no ultimate

object. However, I am sure that not many aviculturists will admit, as

Mr. Venner does, that the science of ornithology is unintelligible to them.


Anthony Chaplin.



EGG-BINDING EXTRAORDINARY


I have just had a rather extraordinary case of egg-binding, and I wonder

if any other member has ever had one like it. On the morning of 15th February

on going into one of my aviaries, I found a Masked Lovebird apparently

dead on the floor—wings spread out and bird quite stiff and cold. I knew this

particular bird had been using a nest-box near the door as sleeping place,,

but I was not sure if it was a cock or hen. I had not shut the aviary myself

the night before, so I could not be certain that the bird had then been quite

well. I picked it up and, being suspicious that it might be a hen and might

have been egg-bound, I pressed it to feel if there had been an egg. Feeling



