338



Correspondence



A CORRECTION


Madam, —In my remarks on Mr. Sewell’s breeding successes in the

November number (p. 306), I gave Mrs. Drake as the first breeder of Peter’s

Spotted Firefinches. I ought to have said “ First in the U.K.”, for they

have been bred earlier abroad. M. Decoux has written to point this out,

namely that A. Voigt reared young in Germany in 1928, and he gives the

reference “ Die Gefiederte Welt, 1930, p. 806.” M. Decoux adds that he

thinks that other German breeders have also been successful.


E. H.



MACAWS REARING YOUNG AT LILFORD, SEASON 1936


Madam, —It may be of interest to record that the pair of Red-and-yellow

Macaws ( Ara chloroptera) which have nested on previous occasions at

Lilford, have again reared young whilst flying at liberty. On this occasion

two well developed young birds almost identical in appearance with their

parents left the nest on 27th October, and are now (9th November) flying

about with our four adult birds, which include a male reared in 1934.


As usual, nesting operations in the same tall tree occupied the entire

summer, from May onwards, the young never showing themselves until

they appeared on the wing.


A. F. Moody.



THE LONG-TAILED GRASS FINCH


Madam, —With regard to the coloured plate of the Long-tailed Grass Finch

which appeared in the November number of the Magazine, I think it should

be pointed out that while the bird at the top of the plate is the typical Poephila

acuticauda acuticauda of Gould, which occurs in north-western Australia,

the one in the centre with the red beak is Heck’s Grass Finch (P. acuticauda

hecJci) of Heinroth, which occurs in the Northern Territory.


The lower figure represents an immature, though nearly adult, specimen

of P. acuticauda acuticauda in which the bill, which is black at first, is changing

to yellow, the feet having already become flesh colour, and the central tail

feather attained nearly full length.


D. Seth-Smith.


Mr. Boosey has written to the same effect.— Ed.



MR. PORTER’S “WANDERINGS IN THE FAR EAST”


Madam, —Regarding the article “ Wanderings in the Far East,” November

instalment; please allow me to correct several obvious mistatements.


First, in the matter of Chinese bird shops of Singapore, which shops, by

the way, are all under strict supervision and regularly inspected by a

European Police Officer, especially detailed to that duty. They are on the

whole no better, and certainly no worse, than those of the average London

or Continental dealer. What they may lack in light (no great desideratum on

the Equator), they most definitely gain in warmth and fresh air. As to the

food supplied, if there is any European capable of teaching the Chinese

anything on birdkeeping, I should like to meet him. My considered opinion,

based on thirty years of close association in business and friendship with the



