Correspondence



297



aviculturists resort in order to gain valuable information and most

certainly not for entertainment. May I be allowed to make a suggestion

in this matter ? A public body such as the A.S. can do little if not

backed up by many individual members. If one hundred or more

members insistently and tenaciously approached their respective

members of Parliament, I am convinced that in time the whole

subject would be gone into by Parliament and the present law

amended. It would be quite useless writing such members of Parliament

and then letting the matter drop. It would have to be done in a

systematic manner and in order to make my proposition productive I

consider it would be feasible to find out those members who would be

willing to plague and worry our local members into bringing the subject

before Parliament. Let us not forget that our Prime Minister is by no

means uninterested in aviculture and this should encourage us. I wonder

if any member of the A.S. will take action. I am sure Captain Stokes

would and if I can be of any assistance then I am willing to roll up my

shirt sleeves. The position as it now stands is scandalous and hardly

reflects credit on aviculturists in Great Britain. We all feel deeply

grieved that Mr. Whitley has been put to this indignity and let us do

something practical to remove such a shocking state of afiairs.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


BIB FINCHES, OR DWARF MANNAKINS

(Spermestes nana)


Madam, —I have just been replying to some correspondence in the Foreign

Bird League Magazine, re the above, and it has occurred to me that some

of our members might be interested in the matter there referred to.


Owing to the ban on their importation from Madagascar, this prolific

little bird has almost disappeared from the market. Last autumn, I was

offered and secured two of the species, both of which turned out cocks. This

spring I placed them in an aviary with a number of Bengalese, with two

of which they immediately paired, and reared six youngsters.


These showed none of the Bengalee characteristics, and, though slightly

larger, were almost indistinguishable from pure Bib Finches.



