208 
Letters, Announcements , §c. 
would prove to be a successful investment or call for 
ministerial interference; but in your version you have so 
much improved upon the invention, that the experiment may 
be safely predicted to end in total failure; and the electric 
shock on the birds, which are expected to “ fall like ripe 
fruit ” from the u dead tree encircled with a band of copper,” 
would be much less severe in its effects than that which 
you administered by your account upon the diaphragm of 
your readers. 
Natural History Museum, A. Gunther. 
Feb. 25, 1886. 
[The writer of the notice in question does not appear to 
have made his meaning clear to Dr. Gunther. No doubt 
Golden Orioles do feed, to an extent varying with circum¬ 
stances, upon ripe cherries, but the idea considered unde¬ 
sirable for propagation was that cherries constituted the 
ordinary food of this species during the period of incubation. 
The only English county in which Golden Orioles have been 
proved to have nested is Kent, renowned for its cherry- 
orchards. Suppose that another pair escape the usual fate 
of a conspicuous species until the cradle-shaped nest is 
formed : the unsophisticated proprietor of the orchard is 
pleased to watch the birds whose habits, food, &c. are 
unknown to him, and he proudly exhibits them to his friends. 
“ Ah!” says one who has studied in the British Museum 
of Natural History, “ those birds won't leave you a 
cherry on your trees—why, they just live on cherries; 
I've seen them stuffed at the Museum, with the hen bird 
sitting comfortable on her nest, while the old cock has 
just brought her two cherries in his bill.” The subsequent 
action of that Kentish farmer will depend upon his credulity, 
but it may be imagined! Take a parallel case. There is 
the greatest difficulty in persuading a gamekeeper to spare 
a Kestrel, although its value to the farmer is undoubted, 
mice forming the principal part of its food. It is, however, 
certain that the Kestrel, when pressed by a clamorous brood, 
will pick up young Pheasants; but it would be quite 
