FORTHE PEOPLE FOR. EDVCATION FOR SCIENCE LIBRARY OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY BIRD NOTES. -^ 59.22:0(0 (U.JL) THE JOURNAL OF THE FOKKIGN BIRD CLUB FOR THE STUDY OF ALL SPECIES OF BIRDS IN FREEDOM AND CAPTIVITY. VOLUME VII. "By mutual confidence and mutual aid Great deeds are done and great discoveries made.' EDITED BV WESLEY T. PAGE, F.Z.S., M.B.N.H.S. BRIGHTON : W. T. MOULTON & Co., 4, Church Street. 1 90S — 1909. A 4,atc^1 INDEX TO CONTRIBUTORS. * The asterisk is affixed to those contributions which appear as Correspondence. Aronstein, M. The Nesting of Virginian, Pope, and other Cardinals, 173 AviCULTURiST. The Ribbon Finch, 125 Baker, Miss M. K. The Malabar Starling, 6 * A Barren Season, 238 Bamford, William. * Illustration Fund and our Magazine, 159 BEATY, S. My Aviaries and their Inmates, 201 BUSS, H. E. The Golden Breasted Bunting, 34 Bromet, Mrs. Helen G. * Nesting of Parrot Finches, 135 * Breeding Parrot and Gouldian Finches, 209 Brook, K. J. * The Illustration Fund, 135 Lories and Lorikeets. 166 Cheetham, John. The Breeding of the Quaker Parrakeet, 260 Dewar, Douglas, I.C.S., F.Z.S. Aviarv Birds I have met in their Natural State, 1 16, 140, 163, 1S8, 216.. 244 The Birds of India, 252, 286 Drummond, J. An Australian Settler in New Zealand, 298 iv. Index to Contributors. Editorials. The Thick-billed Spider Hunter, 21 Rare Birds at the Zoo, 22 The Black-capped or Layard's Bulbul, 22 The Olive Saltator, 22 Sonniiii's Crested Quail or Colin, 22 Mexican or Green Jay, 23 Desuiarest's Green Tauager, 23 Blue-winged Tauager, 23 Scarlet Cardinal, 23 Chestnut-backed Tauager', 23 St. Helena Seed Eater x Canary Hybrid, 24 Club's Certificates, 24, 128, 1S3 The Indigo Bird, 47 The Purple Finch, 48 The Purple-capped Lory laying eggs in captivity, 48, 207 Chingolo .Song Sparrow, 49 The Assumption of Seasonal Plumage, 72 Melanistic Pekin Robins, 73 Early Nesting Notes, 74 A Consignment of Rare Indian Birds, 74 Blue-fronted Redstart, 74 Plumbeous Redstart, 74 White-capped Redstart, 75 The Blue Wood-chat, 75 The Blue-headed Robin, 75 The Red-flanked Bush Robin, 75 A Visit to the Little Zoo, 76 Nesting Notes, 105, 127, 158, 207 Bird Life of Suburban London, 105 Long-tailed Grassfiuches breeding in cage, 106 Mr. Bridgewater's Aviary, 107 The Golden Hangnest, 108 Mr. Millsum's Collection of Living Birds, 108 The Yellow Warbler, no The Cirl Bunting breeding in Captivity, no Hand-rearing Snipe from the Egg, no The Protection of Foreign Birds, no Nesting of Black-headed Sibia, 128 The Zoo Collection of Australian Birds, 128 New Holland Honeyeater, 129 Warty-faced Honeyeater, 130 Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, 130 Whke-eyebrowed Spine-billed Honeyeater. 130 Index to Contributors. v. Editorials — continued. Blue-faced Honeyeater, 131 Garrulous Honeyeater, 131 Pied Grallina, 132 Coach-whip Bird, 132 Our Magazine, 133 More Rare Birds for the Zoo, 134 Avian Terminology, 157 Nursing a vSick Mynah and its Sequel, 158 Breeding of Peaceful Doves, 158 Painted Finches, 180 Rearing Waders, &c, 180 Albino and Pied Bullfinches, 181 Peaceful Doves, 181 A Consignment of Rare Birds from New Guinea and Java, 181 Notes from the Zoo, 183 Nesting of Bulbuls, 183 The Rearing of Wood .Swallows, 207 The Fairy Blue Bird, 208 The Month's Arrivals, 211, 267 The Slaty-grey Finch, 263 The Lineated Finch, 263 Red Throated Blue Tanager, 263 Cuban Trogan, 264 Beautiful Trogan, 264 Resplendant Trogan (misprinted Mexican), 264 Mexican Trogan, 265 The Giant Barbet, 265 Bearded Scaly-fronted Finch, 265 Tinkling Grackle, 266 An Interesting Hybrid, 295 An Abnormal Plumaged Ox or Buffalo Weaver, 296 " F. R." Bush Notes, 78 FiLLMER, H. R. The Bengalese, S Finn, Frank, B.A., F.Z.S. Variation in Birds, 87 Galloway, P. F. M. The Nightjar in Captivity, 236, 269 Goodchild, H., M.B.O.U. Ornithological Notes during a Midsummer Holiday, 228, 250, 284 vi. Index to Co?ilribulo> s. Gray, Henry, M.R.C.V.S. Bird Keeping, 56 Contagious Diseases of Birds, 273 Hadt.ry, T. R. The Orange-cheeked Waxbill, 94 Hartley, Mrs. E. A. H. * The Annual Slaughter of Migrants, 209 Henstock, J. H. The Spice Finch x Bengalee Hybrid, 174 HeTLEY, H., M.B. Breeding Crimson Finches in a Cage, 227 Hopkinson, E., M.A., M.B., D.S.O. Dr. Hopkiuson's Aviary, 193 Howe, F. Notes on the Assumption of Seasonal Plumage in the Orange Bishop, 194 Hume, J. * Nesting of Virginian Cardinals, 211 Keith-Mukray, A. L. * Nesting of the Painted Finch, 135 "L. B.J." Amongst the Bush Birds, 237, 297 Little, Miss Rosa C. The Breeding of Swainson's Lorikeet, 60 Marmont, W. B. The Breeding of Alexandrine Parrakeets, 279 Matthias, Hayward W. Notes on my Aviary and Birds, 218 " Member, a." * The Illustration Fund and Our Magazine, 159 Miller, Mrs. K. Leslie. Notes on the Violet Parrot in Captivity, j6i List of Contributors. vii. MlLLER, TlNNISWOOD. * The Coming L.C.B.A. Show, 210 MlLLSUM, O. A Visit to the Little Zoo, Bath, 69 The Black-cheeked or Lesser Rufous-headed Tauager, 137 * The Illustration Fund and our Magazine, 159 Two Indian Bahblers, 213 White-Spotted Laughing Thrushes, 289 MORRICK, K. C. Birds of my Garden, 82 Murray, Ivan D. The Air Sacs of Birds. 63 O'Reilly, Nicholas S. * The Illustration Fund and Our Magazine, 160 Page, WeSLky T., F.Z.S., etc. Foreign Birds at the National .Show, 13 * The Sliama and the Ruby Throat, 25 Siskins, 29 The Yellow Hanguest, 53 The Budgerigar in Captivity, 66 Some Recent Acquisitions, 97, 121, 169, 204. Notes on the Violet Parrot, 162 The Black-cheeked or Lesser Rufous-headed Tanager, 138 The Aviaries at Ringmore, 152 * The Illustration Fund and Our Magazine, 160 The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler, 214 The Slaty-headed Scimitar Babbler, 215 Mrs. Anningson's Collection of Parrots and Cockatoos, 224, The Nightjar in Captivity, 236 [257, 280 The Month's Arrivals, 240, 268, 300 The Painted Finch, 241 Payne, W. H. Notes on the Wild Life of the Budgerigar, 66 Perreau, Capt. G. A., F.Z.S. My Favourite Stretch of Indian River, 9 Fecundity of Yellow Budgerigars, 149 Hanging Parrakeets, 255, 276 PORTEOTJS, J. T. * The Illustration Fund and Our Magazine, 159 viii. List of Contributors. Rkkvk, Capt. J. S. Stray Notes on my Aviary and its Inmates, 45 Rogers, W. T. * The Illustration Fund and our Magazine, 160 ROW, C. H. Stray Notes on my Birds, 43 Reviews and Notices of New Books. Rambles of an Australian Naturalist (Fountain) 17 Pets and How to Keep Them (Finn) 20 Birds of Britain (Bonhote) 20 Three Voyages of a Naturalist (Nichol) 20 The Bird Keepers Guide (Trower) 20 Board of Agriculture Notices, 21, 77 • A Book of Birds (Pycraft) 21 British Bird Life (Westell) 21 Last Hours with Nature (Brightwen) 50 British Birds, 51, 77 The Condor, 51 British Birds' Nests (Kearton) 77 British Warblers (Howard) 7S The World's Birds (Finn) 103 The Birds of Hampshire and Isle of Wight (Kelsall & Muun) Birds of the Plains (Dewar) 176 [105 Foreign Birds for Beginners (Page) 178 The Indian Wild Ducks and their Allies (Baker) 179 Romance of Bird Life (Lea) 179 How to Attract and Protect Wild Birds (Hiesemann) 179 The Wild Beasts of the World (Finn) 1S0 Through Southern Mexico, 239 Travel and P^xploration, 239 "Siskin." * A Siskin's Return to Confinement, 27 Sugg itt, R. The Olive-backed Thrush, 3 * The Illustration Fund and Our Magazine, 159 The Red-headed Finch, 198 SuTCXlFFE, A. The Nesting of Bnlbuls in Captivity, 238 SlCH, H. L. My Latest Aviary, 261, 291 My Aviaries — Nesting Notes, 291 List oj Contributors. ix. Teschemakkr. W. K., B.A. The Cirl Bunting, 37 * The Illustration Fund 11 1 Nesting Notes, 119 Crested Ducks, 172 Nesting of the Cirl Bunting. 145 * Our Magazine, icSi The Nesting of the Nightjar in Captivity, 185 The Month's Arrivals, 210, 211, 212, 240, 267, 26S, 299, 300 Towns end, S. M. * Longevity of Cage Birds. 15S Vernon, Mrs. Warren. Varied Feeding of Lories and Lorikeets, 12 * Two Rare Birds, 42 The Brazilian Hanguest, 56 The Green or Mexican Jay, 85 Nesting of Black-headed Sibias, 148 Ward, The Hon. Mrs. S. * Feeding Wild Birds, 296 Wir.r.FORD, H. My Aviaries, 232, 247 Nesting Notes, 247 WORMAID, Hugh. Waders in Captivity, 1 The Teal, in X. Index to Plates. INDEX TO PLATES. * Denotes Coloured Plates. Ruffs in Battle Array Green (misprinted Golden) Plover Young Peewit Wading Birds The Bengalee * ( Colombian Siskin (Ch/ysomitris columbiana) Hooded Siskin {Chrysomitris cucullata) The Haunt of the Cirl Bunting .. The Yellow Hangnest {Icterus xanthornis) . . * Mexican or Green Jay (Xanthura luxuosa) The Silvery-Crowned Friar Bird (Philemon argenticep Plumbeous Redstart (Ruticilla fiiliginosa) Green-backed Tit {Parus monticolus) One of Mr. Millsum's Aviaries The Teal {Nettion crecca) Teal Drake about to alight Bronze X Magpie Mannikin Hybrid ■. (Spemietses cucullata) X (Atnatirethes fiingilloides ) Pink-browed Rose Finch (P/opasser rhodochrous) . . Great-billed Touracou (Tnracus viacrorhynchus) * The Black-cheeked or Lesser Rufous-headed Tanager (Calliste cay ana Nest of Grey-necked Serin Nest of Mealy Redpoll .. Nest and Eggs of Cirl Bunting A Glimpse of the Aviaries at Ringmore . . Cinnamon Tree Sparrow .. *The Violet or Dusky Parrot (Pionus violaceus) Black-crested Bunting Black-headed Bunting Spice Finch X Bengalee hybrid .. Red-collared Lorikeet Peaceful Doves .. To face page. Frontispiece. i S 29 36 54 S5 97 101 101 108 113 "3 123 125 125 137 144 144 145 152 ■152 161 1 68 Index to Plates. Red-collared Lorikeets .. One of Mrs. Warren Vernon's Flight Cages Crested Ducks Crested Duckling Nightjar Incubating Young Nightjars Eight Days Old Dr. Hopkinson's Aviary .. Different Stages of Growth of Feathers of Orange Bishop i during seasonal change of plumage Mr. S. Beaty's Greenhouse Aviaries The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler {Pomatorhiniis erythrogeny The Slaty-headed Scimitar Babbler {Pomatorhiniis schtsticeps) The Raven's Haunt The Haunt of the Dipper A Glimpse of Mr. Willford's Aviaries Mr. Willford's Aviaries .. * The Painted Finch Nest and Eggs of Ruddy-shouldered Cow Bird Spotted Emu Young Bronze-winged Pigeon Nest and Eggs, Bronze-winged Pigeon Fledgeling Peaceful Doves Mr. H. L. Sich's Latest Aviary Cuban Trogan The Scaly-crowned Finch The Bearded Scaly-fronted Finch The Nightjar (Caprimulgus europceus) .. Mr. Marmont's Aviaries White-Spotted Laughing Thrush (lanthocincla ocellata Rain Quail Chick (Coturmx coromandehca) Chinese Painted Quail Chicks {Excalfactoria chinensis) 169 172 172 173 iS5 185 194 T95 202 203 s) 214 215 228 229 232 233 241 24S 248 249 249 264 265 26S 279 289 294 294 Illnshations in the Text. ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT. Nest of Yellow Hangnest . . Eggs of Yellow Hangiiest . . Nest of Orange-cheeked Waxbill Mr. Bridgewater's Aviary . . Grey-winged Ouzel Giant Wliydah Avian Terminology Mr. S. Beaty and his Pet Canary-wing Parrakeet Nest and Eggs of Philipine Bnlbnl . . Page 54 55 96 107 124 154 157 2or 235 RIRI) NOTES. Jf-' 9 / .)'--'. GOLDEN PLOVER. ">. \ YOUNG PEWITT. CO X, All rights reserved]. [March, 190S. BIRD NOTES: THE JOURNAL OF THE FOREIGN BIRD CLUB. TKHa&ers in Captivity. By Hugh Wormald. Illustrated by the Author. Of the various kinds of British birds which I have kept in captivity. Waders are undoubtedly the most interesting; and although only Avocets, Redshanks and Ruffs have, as far as I know, been bred in captivity, nearly all the Waders afford an interesting study in assuming their breeding plumage, if kept in suitable surroundings. Unlike many birds, they may be kept full-winged in a comparatively small aviary without injuring themselves, owing to their knack of turning quickly when on the wing. Even the larger species, such as the Black-tailed Godwits, flit through the small fir trees in my aviary with an agility that would rival a Woodcock. The inmates of my aviary at present consist of: Grey. Green, Golden and Ringed Plovers, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits, Ruffs and Reeves, Redshanks, Knots and Dunlins. Last May one of my Reeves mated to two Ruffs, and scraped out a nest under a tussock of grass, in which she laid three eggs ; unfortunately these were destroyed by mice. She then laid a second clutch which shared a similar fate. I hope for better luck this year as I think I have made my avian' mouse- proof. Although the Green Plovers made a great fuss, and several " scrapes," no eggs were laid, probably owing to the female not having moulted properly the previous year, and therefore not being itt very good health at the time. However, I have still alive a Green Plover and a Redshank which I hatched in an Incubator and reared by hand. Space forbids me to describe the whole process in detail, but I may mention that incubation in both cases lasted twenty-six davs at a temperature of 104° Falir. I also reared by hand Ringed Plover, Common and Lesser Terns, but these were obtained a few days old ; with Snipe I was not so successful, as the young died when a fortnight old during my absence from home. It is interesting to note that the young Snipe, unlike the Plover and Redshank, refused to pick their food off the ground, but would only take worms when given them in my hand. I should be interested if any of your readers could tell me whether Snipe in a wild state feed their young with their bills. Two young Snipe which I obtained when just feathering bored for worms in a pan of wet mud ; these two lived for some time, but both died on the same day, although seemingly in good health at the time : I attributed this to their having had water given them from a painted can. So far as my experience goes, Waders require little or no shelter through the winter. My aviaiy is built with walls on the north and east : there is no other shelter except a few shrubs and fir trees ; the remaining two sides and roof are of wire netting, yet they all came safely through the exceptionally severe winter of last year. With regard to feeding: Waders thrive well on soaked Biscuit Meal (Spratts' Medium), chopped egg and raw liver, which takes the place of worms, though the latter should be given them occasionally. By way of a change chopped raw fish and rice pudding may be given. All the smaller kinds are partial to small seeds. It is most important that they should be provided with plenty of clean water and good sand ; they should also have a grass run cut short like a lawn, and the aviary should have a sunny aspect. I find that the Knots are very apt to develop lameness, and it seems impossible to guard against this. One of the features of my Wader aviary last summer was a Golden Plover that assumed the most perfect breeding plumage I have ever seen. He was much admired by such a competent critic as Mr. G. E. Lodge, who proposed that I should have him made into a skin as I should never get another to equal him. However, I am glad to say he is still alive and I hope will reassume his black breast this summer. This spring I intend to try again to rear Snipe, and also to try my luck with Woodcock. I ma\' mention that the dimensions •of mj'' Wader aviary are 15 yards by 11 yards by 8 feet high ; and in conclusion, would strongly recommend any lover of British birds to try Waders, as they will amply repay his trouble. Gbe ©live^bachet) Gbrusb. Turdus set) amis (7). By R. Suggitt. Out of a private consignment of birds from Mexico, which arrived here in June 1907, I was fortunate enough to secure a true pair of Olive-backed Thrushes. The accommodation on board the sailing ship, by which the birds were brought, was very limited, and consequently a large percentage died on the voyage. None of the survivors would have taken a prize at the Crystal Palace, but they appeared fairly healthy. The Thrushes were in a particularly dirty state, and had their wings very closely clipped. Both birds were ridiculously tame. The Olive-backed Thrush is almost as large as the Song Thrush. The general plumage of the male is olive brown, greener on the rump and upper tail coverts; flight feathers and tail darker brown edged with olive ; under surface tinged with buff; the feathers beneath the wings and the under tail coverts paler; throat dirty white streaked with brown ; bill at base blue grey, dirty yellow towards the tip ; eyes, brown ; feet, lead colour. The female is more stoutly built than the male, has a shorter, thicker bill, and is throughout decidedly greener in colour. The song is sweet but very low and is usually sung at dusk. I put them into my outdoor aviary in July. The hen could .fly a few feet, but the cock had to trust almost entirely to his legs. They are very fond of bathing, and will soak themselves half a dozen times a day. They will eat earthworms, caterpillars, gentles, almost any live thing in fact, except garden slugs and snails ; any preference they may have is for mealworms. They are not fond of fruit, although I have seen the cock eat a little -very ripe banana. They are harmless, rather timid birds, and cannot be described as lively, for, like most thrushes, they prefer to perch statue-like in one position almost all day long. On August ioth I was surprised to see the hen busily building a nest on the top of a Hartz cage under the sheltered portion of the aviary. The site was about eighteen inches from the untidy nest of a pair of Yellow Sparrows, and I was obliged to clip all the loose ends of hay from the sparrow's nest, which the thrush was using as material for her own, to the great indignation of the two sparrows. The next day saw her still steadily building, but she was very independent and did not consult her husband. They were not even on speaking terms with each other, and snapped their bills whenever the distance between them became less than a yard. It was very amusing to see the hen at work : she collected a small bundle of short lengths of hay, dipped them first into the drinking water, and then into a small dish of mud which I had put down for her benefit. This performance was gone through several times before she was satisfied that the hay was wet and muddy enough. Owing to her wings being clipped she had great difficulty in reaching the nest, which was in the very highest part of the shelter, and until I arranged a series of easy stages to the nest, she often made five or six futile attempts to reach it. After each failure to reach the nest she invariably returned to the water dish again, and went through the whole process with the hay. Before I put in the mud, she was taking small pieces of earth in her bill to the water, no doubt with the idea of making her own mud, but the earth fell to pieces as soon as it touched the water. As a consequence the only result was muddy water, which had to be changed several times a day. She did not work continuously at the nest, but made two or three journeys at a time, and then enjoyed a good long rest. I could still see through the bottom of the nest on August 17th, but on the 19th it appeared to be completed, also, this was the first morning that the drinking water was not muddy. During all this time the cock had not taken the slightest interest in the hen or her work, except when she went a little too near when, as she was clearly master of the situation, he would make his usual snap at her and retire to safety. Probably lie could not have reached the nest even if his interest had developed. One day about this time, when I went into the aviary with the mealworm box, I heard such a bloodcurdling scream close to nnr ear that I nearly dropped the mealworms. It came from the hen thrush ; she was probably warning me not to go too near the nest, and afterwards she greeted me in this fashion every time I opened the aviary door. I examined the nest on August 22nd and found it to con- tain one egg: the next day there were two. The nest was lined with fine hay, and both it and the eggs, except for their rather smaller size, were not to be distinguished from the nest and eggs of the Blackbird. Of course I had not the least hope that the eggs would be fertile, but it was an interesting experience, and proved that these birds were willing enough to breed in captivity in spite of their being so greatly handicapped. In order to give the hen a little encouragement I allowed her to sit until September 6th, when I added the eggs — there were still only two — to my col- lection, and substituted two blown Blackbird's eggs. These proved too light, however, one being found 011 the floor broken the next morning. On entering the aviary the hen attacked me, evidently thinking that I had been tampering with the nest. She looked at the remaining egg a long time before she settled down on it, and the day after the nest was empty. Late in September the hen was carrying hay about, and appeared to be desirous of building another nest, but both she and the cock commenced to moult early in October. The hen completed her moult at the end of that month, the cock nearly at the end of the next. He commenced to sing again as soon as the moult was finished. I was looking forward to rearing young ones from them during 1908, but, unfortunately, as I was catching some birds which I wished to dispose of out of the aviary, I stepped heavily upon the hen, and so severely injured her internally that she died in a few minutes. [Mr. Scggitt has kindly sent the body to me, and the unfortunate accident which robbed him of so rare and charming a bird is the more to be regretted, as they would undoubtedly have bred this coming season. I at once saw the bird was a very rare and uncommon species and formed the opinion that it was a near ally or variety of T. murinus— owing to physical infirmity I was unable to go over to the Museum, so as soon as the skin came back from the taxidermists (Mr. S. kindly permitting me to retain same), I sent it on to the Museum, and the authorities there are of the opinion that it is probably a new species, and they place it as a near ally of T. serranus. As the Museum authorities expressed a desire for the skin, I have in turn donated it to them, and we may hope to have it properly named at some near date. I have given it the trivial name at head of the article. — Ed. ZTbe flDalabar Starling. Poliopsar malabaricus. By Miss M. E. Baker. Although the Malabar Starling is not a brightly coloured bird, it certainly is a very pretty one. The principal colouration is grey, suffused with a red-brown shade ; the head of the male is almost white, beak yellow, and the eyes very light grey. The colouration of the female is very similar, practically the only difference being that the breast and head are a little darker in hue. My pair of Malabars are most interesting and amusing birds, passionately fond of mealworms ; whenever I pass the aviary, they always come to the front and look round to see if I have a mealworm for them ; they are very disappointed if this is lacking, and there is quite an excited chattering and running about before they fly away to their usual perch at the top of the aviary. The Malabars agree well with the other birds in the aviary, except a Glossy Starling, they steal his mealworms and annoy him exceedingly, and I am afraid they will suffer for it some day. Last year they built a nest and hatched out four young chicks. I had no idea they were building, and was much surprised to hear the young calling for food ; it was difficult to locate the nest, so I invoked the gardener's assistance almost expecting to find mice, the calling of the young so much resembled the squeaking of these aviary pests. He lifted a large nest out of the box, and in it were four lovely little Malabars. I quickly had the nest put back and almost immediately the hen flew in. It was an interesting and pretty sight to see the parent bird feed her young ; she would fly down for some food, making rapid and repeated journeys to and from the nest, and when they were fed all round, she would go and have a good drink, and then satisfy the thirst of her little ones. Both the old birds were continuously in and out of the nest, and were evidently much engrossed with the care of their progeny. They fed the young with all sorts of insects and soft food. The old birds were very tame and not at all afraid of me, in fact would feed the young while I stood quite near ; and I had great hopes of rearing Malabar Starlings, but it was not to be: when the young were about ten days old I noticed both the birds off the nest. They seemed to be in great trouble and flew towards me as if they wanted something, I heard no sound from the nest and on examination found the young all dead. The chicks were fat, well developed and partially feathered. The old birds appeared very unhappy over their loss and so was I, but I hope for better luck next time. [The late Herr Wiener successfully reared this species in confinement, his birds choosing a cigar nest-box in which to build their nest — he never gave much food at a time and adopted the plan of putting a thin layer of mould over their soft food dish, partially covering same, and thus taught them to dig for the choicer bits — one hour he gave mealworms, another some spiders, or small bits of raw beef, or a handful of live ants, larvoe and mould, and soon the young were able to fend for themselves. He found them very lively and interesting birds, continually on the move, yet always in perfect plumage. A hybrid between the Malabar and Andaman Star- ling was reared at the London Zoo some few seasons ago, which I believe is still living; it certainly was a very handsome bird when last I saw it. Hume describing this bird in its native haunts, states that it is also known as the Grey-headed Mynah, and appears to prefer country that has been partly cleared ; it congregates in flocks of from 40 to 50 individuals. It nests in natural holes in trees (dead or living), choosing one difficult of access at an elevation of from 20 to 50 feet from the ground. The eggs are three or four in number and of a pale blue or sea-green colour. It ranges over India, Burma, and Cochin-China.— Ed.] Gbe Bengalese. By H. R. Fillmer. There are three fully domesticated varieties of cage birds — the Canary, the White Java Sparrow, and the Bengalese. The last named, and by no means the least interesting, is a product of Japanese industry and skill. Either the Sharp-tailed Finch {Uroloncha acuticauda), the Striated Finch (U. striata) or some nearly allied form now extinct, appears to have constituted the original stock, but for so long a time (how long it is impossible to say, but possibly for hundreds of years) has the race existed in captivity that it has developed well marked and permanent variations, in the same way as the Canary has. With this differ- ence, however, that while the Canary has developed along several distinct lines, producing such diverse types as the Belgian, the Norwich, the Lizard, &c, the Bengalese has varied little except in one point, viz., that of colour, and the total variation from the parent stock is much smaller than in the case of the Canary. There are two forms of this bird, the Fawn and White, and the Chocolate and White ; and although these forms are constantly crossed they always breed true. In other and more scientific phraseology, the inheritance is alternative. The two forms seem to behave much as the buffs and yellows of Canary- dom, but the analog}' with Blue and Grey Dutch Rabbits is still closer. The pure white Bengalese is sometimes spoken of as a third form, but it is really only an extreme development of one of the others. This white form is seldom seen, at any rate in Europe, but there seems no reason why it should not, by careful selection, become more or less fixed, and in time fairl)' common, though it is to be expected that, as in the case of the White Java Sparrow, only a small proportion would be bred true to colour. The Bengalese is no songster, for though he expends a lot of energy on the production of his few notes, they are very faint and not at all musical. Nevertheless his quaint confiding ways are attractive. He is fairly easy to breed, and success is best obtained hy placing one pair in a cage or small aviary without other occupants. The nest is built in a closed receptacle, such as a cocoa nut husk or a cigar box. Soft hay, and a little hair from a Canary nest bag, or a few feathers, will suffice for nesting material. The birds are very tame, and are at least as indifferent as Canaries are to observation or interference. The voting can be reared perfectly well on seed and green food, but crumbled sponge cake ma}' be supplied, and crushed biscuit. Egg food is undoubtedly dangerous, and I well remem- ber losing a fine nest of four or five young Bengalese from a mysterious disease which I now believe to have been brought about by its use. There is no reliable means of distinguishing cocks from hens except by the song of the males. In the absence of a female, a cock Bengalese will often sing to another male, — so if one has a couple and one sings to the other, it is not safe to assume that they are a pair. This bird readily interbreeds with nearly allied forms. I have bred several hybrids between it and the Silverbill, all of which resemble the Silverbill more than the other parent. There is usually little success in breeding Bengalese in a large aviary — especially if more than one pair present, in which case they often all crowd into one nest. And the bird does not defend its nest so well as the wild species do. Anyone with the necessary time and space could conduct some interesting investigations into the problems of variation and heredity by experimenting in the breeding of this bird, and by crossing it with other forms. flDv> favourite Strctcb of 3noian IRivcr. By Captain G. A. Pekkeau. It is curious the way the stream is divided off into stretches, especially when birds are plentiful, as in autumn, With so many young birds, half a mile will perhaps give four or five stretches, each holding one or a pair of Whitecaps, and a cock or a pair of of Plumbeous Redstarts. The limits are the scenes of many a conflict, till they become a sort of neutral or rather common ground, which is left alone by the later arrival. These two species have practically the same limits and leave each other alone. From analogv I take it that where there are two White- IO caps they are a pair and where there is only one it is a cock. This is the case with the Plumbeous. It is curious too, how the cocks outnumber the hens, at this time of the year at any rate. I have noticed this with many other species, but it is particularly noticeable with those birds frequenting open and more or less fixed abodes. To return to this half-mile of river, this will also probably accommodate a Spotted and a Little Forktail, a pair of Dippers, a few Wagtails (a nuisance to the trapper who does not want them), a Whistling Thrush or so (a nuisance in another way) and a few noisy Streaked Laughing Thrushes in the Khud bushes. These might be called the regular inhabitants. The beautiful Crested Black and White Kingfisher is also generally to be seen sometime during the day, but his stretch covers a larger area. Other birds, of course, are also to be seen, Chukor creep- ing down for a drink, Pigeon, a stray Hawk or so, or an Eagle or Lammergeier moving up or down, and sundry small birds, but they are present by chance. The Little Forktail is perhaps the most interesting to watch. The way he plunges into quite deep, swift water and runs along the bottom up stream is always a marvel to me, and I have watched him do this at distance of a few feet only. A good many of us have stood inside a waterfall where one is comparatively dry, and no doubt the little chap is fond of this too, but he also likes running up in the water on apparently most slippery rocks. It is astonishing why he is not beaten down again, but he bobs out at the top quite spick and span, flies busily to the bottom and runs up again, apparently getting food on the way. He is so busy at this game that if one is lucky at the start as to position one can get quite close by only moving when he is on the journey up. In one place I believe I could have caught him if smart with a lauding net, which on the whole I am glad I did not have with me. He has quite defeated my endeavours to trap him, like those annoying Black Crested Tits, which laugh at my traps and bathe joyously within a yard or so of me, and within a foot or so of my traps in the channel which waters my garden from the tap. The other Tits (the Grey and the Green-back) which I do not want, continually catch themselves, but not the Crested. The Plumbeous Redstart by no means minds getting wet, but he won't II go under the water. The little Forktail sticks to one heat for some time, hut then he may move off quite a long way, and owing to comparative paucity has no need to stick to a stretch. The Spotted Forktail is much the same as regards a beat, probably for the same reason. He is a handsome bird with his long tail, but neither so daring nor so interesting to watch. He is much more in evidence but is more shy than his smaller and less striking relative. The White-capped Redstart always catches the eye, also the ear with their sharp call note. I have never heard any other note from them except the harsh alarm note of the Chat and Robin type. It is curious how all these stream birds have a very similar call note, it would take a smart ear to distinguish the call notes of these six at a distance, i.e., the Forktails, Redstarts, Dipper, and the Whistling Thrush. Of course it does not follow that the Whitecap has not got a song as I have never heard the Plumbeous sing when wild, though now I know, from seeing him in the aviary, that I must often have seen him singing when having a rustle-up with a rival, but the sound of rushing waters in such streams drowns everything but a short shrill note. The White-capped Redstart and the Little Forktail go up higher to breed. I think my favourite bit of stream is at its best about this time (autumn) of year. In Chitral such bits were especially good at the beginning of the spring migration, as the waste land made splendid Chat country and one could generally count on seeing (beside the above) Guldenstad's Redstart, probably also Evers- man's, several Chats, Strickland's, the Siberian, Redtailed and the Wheatear ; several Finches, the Gold-fronted and Mongo- lian Desert for nearhr certain ; the Wallcreeper and the Blue Rock Thrush ; a greater variety of Wagtails with the Kingfisher and a few Sandpipers in variety. Of course one did not get all these everywhere along the river, but there were lots of places where all these and more could be seen in ten minutes without moving a yard. In really good places one had to move only a very short way to get among the tree birds, Orioles, Minivets, Drongos, etc. My thoughts ran on beautiful aviaries then but I think I was always keenest on a rocky stream aviary in natural surroundings, probably because the bird inhabitants were more in evidence, and it was easier to study their interesting little wavs. 12 IDariefc jfeefctng of Xones ano Xoriheets. By Mrs. Warken Vernon. I have lately been rather interested in the many and varied manners of feeding the same species of birds in captivity ; it may interest our Members to note some of them. Take Lories and Lorikeets. The following are some of the different ways of feeding these birds, lately seen by me in the various journals devoted to Aviculture. (i) Figs, with boiling water poured over a bun squeezed out in same and the fig mashed up in twice the amount of bun. Keeps birds in perfect health. (2) Crushed Osborne biscuits, with milk and water made moist, brown sugar liberally sprinkled on it, a slice of orange also well sugared. Keeps birds in perfect health. (3) Milk sop, as staple food, with strawberry jam or honey and fruit. Birds keep in perfect health. Now here are three ways, ail apparently suiting the birds, all tried by people who have studied their subject. The birds in each case have done so well that their owners have thought it worth while telling others the result ; and then one hears how difficult it is to feed certain birds suitably. Take, again, birds iir other nations. Japanese, Chinese, and Indians feed their birds on food which we cannot obtain : they live and thrive. In the South of France soft-billed birds are fed quite differently from here, yet you import these same birds from all these different nations and, though accustomed to the various foods they have been brought up on, or at any rate kept on for some time, you give them a complete change of diet, and yet the birds thrive and do well. One hears a great deal of the delicacy of soft bills, but really I think they are perfect wonders in their digestive system. 13 foreign BirDs at the IRational Show. The L.P.O.S. held their 49th Annual Show at the Crystal Palace from Feb. 7th to nth, and it certainly was a success. The Foreign section with which we are chiefly concerned, though not a record, contained some rare and uncommon birds among the 129 entrants. The main features of interest for the general public were the Birds of Paradise, neither of which were perfect, so far as their tail plumes were concerned. Undoubtedly the rarest bird present was the Rev. H. D. Astley's Purple-breasted Parrot. Some of the more notable birds were as under: The Purple-breasted Parrot ( Triclaria cyanogastcr). This specimen I believe to be, not merely the only one in Great Britain, but the only one in Europe. It is a beautiful bird, and bears a strong resemblance to the Eclectus, but it is fully one third smaller than this bird. It is a South American bird, and not a great deal is known concerning it, but it appears to be con- fined to South Eastern Brazil. I did not take detailed notes of its plumage, so can only roughly describe it. The general body colouring was lustrous green, with a large patch of violet, glossed purplish in the centre, on the abdomen. It has very beautiful eyes of a ruddy-brown colour. The female lacks the violet patch of the male, her plumage being unvaried green. Judging by this specimen it is an amiable species ; it quite appre- ciated be'ng fondled and having its poll scratched even by strangers; it however did not impress one as being an intelligent species. Purple-breasted is surely a misnomer, Purple-bellied if not so euphonious is certainly more descriptive. It is also known as the Violet-bellied and Azure-bellied Parrot. It is closely allied to the Dusky and Hawk-headed Parrots which it ranks next to in the B.M.C., Vol. XX. a- •& # The Golden-breasted Bunting {Emberiza flaviventris). Two of this beautiful species were exhibited, but Mr. Bliss's bird was far and away ahead of its rival as regards brilliancy of colour and condition. There are three if not more species which practically only differ in the colour areas and in- tensity of colouring, and I regret I did not take more careful observation of the least brilliant specimen, as possibly it was one of those near species. This should prove a delightful bird for the aviary and possesses also the additional attraction, of not having yet been bred in this country. It ranges over practically the whole of Southern and Tropical Africa, extending northwards to the Congo and Abyssinia. The adult male has the sides and upper part of the head black, broken up by five longitudinal lines, a narrow one down the centre of the crown extending to the nape, and two on each side of the head, one above and one below the eye ; upper surface nutty-brown with the centres of the feathers of the mantle and wings, blackish ; chin, abdomen, and under tail-coverts white, slightly washed with yellow ; throat and breast, bright yellow, strongly suffused on the breast with golden-rufous; beak: upper mandible brown, lower mandible flesh colour, which is also the colour of the legs and feet. The female differs but little from the male, her colours are not of quite so rich a hue, and the blacks and white of her plumage are not so pure and also slightly mottled. The Festive Tanager (Calliste f estiva). This is a very beautiful species and was first exhibited by Mr. Maxwell at theL.C.B.A. December Show. Of the many species whicb adorn this gorgeous genus this is certainly not the least beautiful. Briefly, the general body colouring is iridescent orass-green ; sides of face and upper neck golden-copper colour; crown, glistening blue. A beautiful and uncommon species, of which another specimen has since come into the possession of one of our members. Time only permits me to pass the other notabilities very briefly in review, many of them were however, described in last volume. The Indian Sunbird ; Mr. Townsend's Yeixow- winged Sugar Bird was exquisite ; I have never seen a finer specimen, the richness and purity of the colouring of its silky and iridescent plumage being simply beyond description ; the same applies to his beautiful Black-faced Sugar Bird, a much larger species. Passing to the All Species Class, which mostly contains a series of interesting and beautiful birds. The Birds of Paradise have been already mentioned ; the bird which most appealed to me was Mr. Millsum's very fine Black-throated Laughing- Thkush, evidently a most interesting bird and full of character. The other principal exhibits were fine specimens of Greater Hill Mynah, Shama, Golden -crowned Troupial, Coleys or Mousebirds, Indian Barbet, and last, but not least, Mr. Maxwell's very fine Wallcreeper, which carried off premier honours. Mr. H. T. T. Camps judged the Parrot and Parrakeet Classes and Mr. W. Swaysland the remainder. Budgerigars, and ale species of Lovebirds and Hanging Parrakeets (15). 1, Maxwell, Red-beaded Hanging Parrakeet, a beautiful and uncommon exhibit, not yet in perfect condition ; 2, Mrs. C. Cooper, Yellow Budgerigars, perfect, well shown ; 3, Mrs. J. Leach, Yellow Bud- gerigars; 4, S. M. Townsend, Red-headed Hanging Parrot, an uncommon exhibit; vhc, True, Red-faced Lovebird, very fine; he, Millsum, Guiana Lovebirds, very rare, a little rough, very hardly treated ; c, Mrs. Hodgkin. Ai.r, Species of Parrakeets, including Kings, Broadtails and LORIES (20). A very fine series, but many of them were by no means in perfect plumage, some evidently not having left the dealers long. 1. Maxwell, very rare Crimson-fronted Lorikeets, a trifle soft, at the same time a unique exhibit, will be very handsome when they have been through the moult, the general body colour is bronzy-green with yellow and orange- yellow shaft streaks on the nape and underparts, head and nape blackish, frontal baud scarlet, thighs and vent scarlet; 2, L. W. Hawkins, Stanley Parrakeets, in good condition but not nearly so rich in colour as they will be when fully mature : 3, Mrs. Tremlett, King Parrakeet, very rich in colour and in perfect condition, quite one of the best I have seen ; 4, c, Cooper, Varied Lorikeet, a beautiful exhibit ; vhc, F. Howe, fine Chattering Lory ; H. H. Cooper,Red-vented Blue Bonnets; he, W. Cook, Ornamental Lorikeet, an uncommon exhibit, good colour and very tight; L. W. Hawkins, Blue Bonnet; c, Cushney, Redrumps; Hollins, very fine Port Lincoln. Ai.e Species of Parrots, Cockatoos and Macaws (7). 1, Rev. H. D. Astley, Purple-breasted Parrot (Triclaria cyanogaster), a very rare and unique exhibit which I believe to be not merely the only one in England but the only one in Europe; 2, L. W. Hawkins. Black-headed Caique, in good condition and well shown; 3, Hollins. very fine Leadbeater Cockatoo; 4, L. J. Arrighi, good Senegal Parrot*; vhc, Mason, perfect Blue-fronted Amazon ; he, Cushney, another Blue-front, attracting considerable attention by its very realistic laughing, crying, etc.; c, Rev. J. Crawford, very good Roseate Cockatoo. Avadavats, Common YVaxbii.i.s, Weavers, etc. (15). 1, Leavers, very perfect Diamond Sparrow ; 2, Meadows, Green Avadavats, sleek * In Catalogue as B!ack-headed Caique. i6 and tight; 3, Hollins, very large Grey Java Sparrows ; 4, F. Howe, St. Helena Waxbills, very fine, quite one of the best pairs I have seen ; vhc, c, F. Howe, good Diamond and Nutmeg Finches ; he, L. McWade, good pair Combassous; also exhibited: Rhodesian Ribbon Finches, Bib Finches, Indian Silverbills, Avadavats and Orange-cheeked Waxbills, all in very good condition ; a very pleasing and interesting array of the freely imported Ornamental Finches. All Speciks of Waxbills, Grassfinches, Weavers, etc. (23). 1, R. J. Watts, very gocd Queen Whydah ; 2, 3, 4, vhc, Maxwell, a grand series, all in fine condition, Violet-eared Waxbills, Dufresne's, Black-cheeked and Blue-breasted Waxbills; vhc, Hollins, very perfect pair of Red-headed Finches; F. Howe, very richly-coloured Violet-eared Waxbill ; he, Hawkins, very perfect Pin-tailed Nonpareils ; Beaty, good Gouldiau Finch ; c, Whyte, good Pin-tailed Whydah ; Mrs. Galloway, Parrot Finches; also exhibited: Scaly-crowned Finch, very hard lines; Dufresne's Blue-breasted and Violet- eared Waxbill ; Fire Finches, etc. A varied and interesting class. All Speciks Grosbeaks, True Finches, Buntings, Cardinals, ETC. (16). 1, Maxwell, Sepoy Finch, very fit but lacking the beautiful o-eraniuui-red of the wild bird; 2, H. E. Bliss, Africian Golden-breasted Bunting, very rare and beautiful, the yellow throat and white facial streaks being very striking; 3, Mrs. E- Galloway, good Olive Cuba Finch; 4, S. M. Townsend, rare Cape Rock Bunting; vhc, F. Howe, perfect Green Cardinal ; he, Watts, pair Yellow-biiled Cardinals, evidently two cocks, a Black-throated and a Brown-throated one ; c, Cook, Nonpareil Bunting, good condition. A pair of Cutthroats were entered here and the judge failed to note they were in the wrong class. All Species Tanagers, Sugar Birds, Sunbirds, etc. (15). 1, spl, 2, vhc, Maxwell, Indian Sunbird, Festive and Black-backed Tanagers, a grand team but a trifle lucky, the first-named appeared as if it would hardly survive the show ; 3, 4, S. M. Townsend, Black-faced and Yellow-winged Sugar Birds, in excellent condition and hardly treated. In my opinion the remarkably fine and rich colouration, and absolutely faultless condition of the latter should have secured it premier honours; vhc, he, c, Dewhurst, Mason and Watts in the order named, all Superb Tanagers, and very fit, but the writer regrets that colour feeding should have crept in with a species so gorgeous in its natural colouration which is easily retained in full brilliancy in captivity. This class for gorgeous, tropical colouring is worth a long journey to see, but it was not so varied as usual, half the exhibits being Superbs, which have been quite common of late, that is, if the term " common " is permissable of anything Superb. All Species not comprised in the above (18). Always an interesting class; the exhibits claiming most attention from the public being the King Birds of Paradise, of which there were two, neither of which were perfect, one having lost both the long tail plumes (or wires), and the other one. Most of the species in this class were birds full of character and are ideal cage birds. i, 2, Maxwell, Wall Creeper (surely a class of " A.S. Continental" should be provided at the National for such birds) and King Bird of Paradise, both in very finest condition, save that the last- named had lost one of its wires ; 3, Miss Watts, good Shama ; 4, A. Brown, very fine Hill Mynah ; vhc, Millsuin, Black-throated Laughing Thrush, a beautiful and attractive exhibit ; Cook, Golden-crowned Troupial, an uncommon exhibit; Victor Williams, King Bird of Paradise, minus the tail wires, otherwise very fit ; lie, Dewhurst, 2, African Coley and Indian Barbet, the latter a beautiful and interesting bird, of bright grass-green body colour- ing, variegated with crimson on top of head, and black, blue, etc., adorning the wings, sides of face, etc. ; c, Gaving, Australian Swallow ; Miss Hopwood. Rosy Pastor, well-known exhibit, being now nearly twelve years old, and looking very sleek and trim; also exhibited: Glossy Starling, Brazilian Hangnest, various Myuahs, etc. An interesting and varied class. I regret the incompleteness of these notes, and also the lack of all reference to the British birds, but was only able to get a half-day at the Palace, and so many members, etc. were present that serious note taking was almost an impossibility. W.T. P. The Winners of Club Medals were: — In the Parrot Classes: Mr. J. T. Hollins, for his Leadbeater Cockatoo. In the remaining Classes: Mr. H. K. Bliss, for his Golden-breasted Bunting. TReviews ano IWotices of IRevv Boohs. Rambles of an Australian Naturalist, written by Paul Fountain from the Notes and Journals of Thomas Wood. London, John Murray. vSo many of the most attractive aviary birds are natives of Australia, that a book of this kind, which deals in an informal, popular style with all the common birds and mammals of the island continent, appeals strongly to the British aviculturist. The first bird mentioned is Swainson's Lorikeet, generally known, as well in New .South Wales as in Great Britain, as the Blue Mountain Lory. " It is tolerably abundant in the interior parts of the colony ; and its beautiful plumage does not save it from being shot for the table. It is a honey-sucker, and for that reason many persons think that its flesh is superior in flavour to that of other parrots. '• The crop of this bird is nearly always full of a sort of nectar which it extracts with its tongue from the sweet blossoms of the native honeysuckle ; and probably from many other flowers; but it is a mistake to suppose, as many naturalists seen do, that it does not consume more solid food ; for i8 I have seen it eating many kinds of bush fruits. It also eats the flower of the honeysuckle bodily ; and frequents the gardens of the western settlers for the plums and cherries which they delight to cultivate. "Many of the habits of Swainson's Lorikeet greatly resemble those of pigeons. For instance, they go in pairs, and these pairs frequently join with others to form small flocksofteu or a dozen couples; and on occasions which seem to be dependent on a peculiar state of the weather, they collect in large flocks of one or two thousand. All their habits may be noticed in tree-frequenting species of pigeons. The lorikeet, as well as some other parrots, flies much like a pigeon They are capable of enduring a considerable degree of cold, and are often at a great height in the moun- tains of all parts of New South Wales. I have several times seen flocks of them flying about in snow storms. They have, however, a great dislike to rain, and in wet weather hide away in hollow trees and under the broad leaves of palms and other plants. They breed in hollow trees, like the majority of parrots, but I watched one pair which reared their brood in a hole excavated with remarkable expedition in the bulky stem of a grass tree not six feet from tlje ground. The eggs are usually two or four in num- ber, and the few pairs of young birds which I have taken and reared were always couples— a cock and a hen. The old birds are very attentive to the the young, and affectionate among themselves ; and the young are fed with the syrup, or honey, which the old birds get from their crops for the purpose. This syrup is, I suppose, partially digested, a circumstance which may account for the difficulty which is experienced in rearing the young birds on artificial syrup or bee's honey, but they will thrive on soft, pulpy fruit." The author considers nearly all the Australian parrots to be partly insectivorous, and says he has often seen Cockatoos with large beetles in their claws. Passing over the account of the Lyre-bird, the Emu and the Brush Turkey — which though most interesting in themselves are not birds with which our readers are likely to have a personal acquaintance — we find, in a chapter on the Fauna of Western Australia, some notes on parrots which we cannot refrain from extracting. "The cockatoos and parrots are the most characteristic birds of the district. They are most abundant in the interior, especially where the trees form woods and groves. There are at least eight spieces or varieties of cockatoos in the country between Swan River and Shark Bay. The commonest is the Sulphur-crested (Cacalua galetita) which, in some parts of the country, especially where the rivers are edged with mangrove thickets, may be seen in flocks so great that the trees look as if covered with masses of white wool. If these huge flocks, which on the Gascoigne sometimes number thirty or forty thousand birds, are fired at, the screaming they set up is deafening. There are two varieties of the Black Cockatoo — 19 Calyptorhynchus xanthonotns witli a yellow-banded tail, and a variety with a red-banded tail, the plumage of both being a bright shiny black." There are seven species of Calyptorhynchus mentioned in the British Museum Catalogue besides the Great Rlack Cockatoo, which is put ill a separate genus. "These birds are not nearly so abundant as the white kind, and do not go in large flocks. It is rare to see more than twenty or thirty together ; but occasionally they assemble in flocks of a few hundreds, I think for the purpose of migration. Both kinds of those Cockatoos called slender-bills {Licmelis nasica and L. pastinalor) are found in the Swan River district in considerable numbers, and are still more abundant in the Champion River locality and further north. The beautiful pink Cacatua leadbeateri is occasionally seen in the inland parts of the Swan River districts, and has been shot near Perth, while the still handsomer C. rosecicapil/a, with the brilliant rose-coloured breast and gray back and wings is abundant enough, especially about Champion Bay and Gascoigne River." It seems odd to describe the common and despised Roseate Cockatoo as being ' still handsomer ' than the lovely Leadbeater — but there is no accounting for taste. "A kind of crested parrokeet, the Cockatiel {Calopsitlacus nova- hoUandice) with plumage of grey and yellow and white markings on the head and wings, is found in many localities, and is a great favourite with the colonists on account of its gentle ways and pleasing tricks; and this parrot and the rose-crested cockatoo are two of the birds most frequently kept in their houses as pets. The cockatiel frequently manifests great affection for its master; and has been known to pine to death when the hand which used to feed it has been suddenly removed by death." "In its habits the Rosella greatly resembles the grass parrokeets, and is quite as often seen on the ground as in the trees, and is not infre- quently seen perched on the back of cattle, when it evidently searches for the parasites which infest the hides of the animals. For this parrot is nearly carnivorous, and will eat animal food as freely as it does grain. The fanners say it does much mischief to their corn crops; but I have proved conclusively that it is not grain only that attracts to ground that is under cultivation. It preys largely on the larvae of insects of the grass- hopper kind, which also prefer to haunt cultivated ground probably on account of its looseness. The farmers are therefore in error in destroying this bird, which they do without mercy. Many are caught in traps bated with meat, which they eat eagerly, and in confiuinent will take in preference to any other kind of food. The bird goes in flocks of considerable size in districts where it has not been persecuted. I have seen perhaps four or five hundred together ; but when feeding the flocks scatter very much, as all ground-feeding Australian parrots do." H. R. F. 20 PETS and How to kkkp THEM. By Fkank Finn, B.A., F.Z.S. With 12 coloured plates and many reproductions of photos from life. Hutchinson & Co., Paternoster Row, 1907. Tliis is certainly one of the handiest little couipendiuius that has heen published for some time; it is most interesting reading and embraces the whole of the vertebrata. The text is divided into three parts as follows : Part I. Mammai,s. ,, II. Cagk, Gakdkn, Park, and Aviary Birds. ., III. Cold-Bloodkd Animals. While we cannot agree with all the directions given, as for instance, milk-sop for parrots, etc., yet it is a most readahle and useful book, well illustrated and full of interest from cover to cover. Birds of Britain: with 100 coloured plates and 399 pages of text. By J. Lewis Bonhote, M.A., F.L.S., F.Z.S. A. & C. Black, Soho Square, London. A worthy addition to the already long list of Monographs on our native AVIFAUNA. It is sumptuously illustrated, and the life histories of the various species fully and interestingly written. Plumage, sexual dis- tinctions (this might with advantage have been more descriptive), nest, eggs, and characteristics, all are fully described, and as a whole it is not merely instructive, but most entertainingly written. It does not need the Author's statement that his observations are taken from Nature, this being evident on every page. Perhaps the one blemish is, that the records of the number of appearances of the rarer species is not fully up to date. The book should be in the library of every lover and student of our Native Birds. Three Voyages of a Naturalist. By M. J. Nichol, M.B.O.U. We have received a leaflet announcing the publication of this work by Messrs. Witherby & Co. The Author was Naturalist on the Karl of Crawford's yacht '• Valhalla " during these voyages. Most of the Islands explored were previously very little known, and others had rarely, if ever, been landed upon. The Birds met with during the Voyages are fully described by the Author, who is a well-known Ornithologist. The work is Illustrated: 56 full page reproductions of photos taken during the respective crusies. The Bird Keeper's Guide* : Messrs. Trower, the Bird-food Special- ists, have issued a most useful and reliable little pamphlet, under the above title, and the joint authorship of Messrs. Allen Silver and T. R. Trower. The features of the treatise are: Trivial and scientific names, habitat, size and type of cage; food, and its merits as a songster and exhibition bird. These particulars are given concerning nearly every known species of * The Bird Keeper's Guide. 6d. Trower & Co., 442, Caledonian Road, London, N. British Cage Bird and a large number of foreigners. It certainly forms one of the handiest and most reliable beginners' guide yet published. A well arranged index completes the whole and make the information it im- parts instantly accessible. Its one blemish is the mis-spelling of many of the scientific names. This little booklet should make a useful addition to every bird-keeper's bookshelf. Board oe Agriculture and Fisheries LEAFLETS : No. 204. " Apple Tree Mildew " is to baud, consisting of clear and concise directions for prevention and eradication of this great pest of all apple gardens and orchards. It should be in the hands of all tbe fortunate possessors of gardens and orchards. A list of the leaflets already issued, arranged in groups, is also to hand, of which we name a few of the groups : — Poultry and Bees, their Breeding and Management. Farm and Garden Crops. Wild Animals, Birds, etc. Insect and other Pests, other than Bush and Orchard Fruit. Insect and other Pests injurious to Fruit Trees and Bushes, and to Fruit Trees. Fungi injurious to Crops and Trees. Copies of the various leaflets may be obtained free of charge and post free on application to the Secretary, Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, 4, Whitehall Place, London, VS.W. Letters of application so addressed need not be stamped. Other recent issues are: — A Book of Birds, by W. P. Pycraft. (Sydney Appleton). British Bird Life, by W. Percival Westell, with an introduction by the Rt. Hon. Sir H. Maxwell, Bart., F.R.S. It contains 60 illustrations. (T. Fisher Uuwin). W. T. P. BzDitonal. The Thick-billed Spider Hunter (Arachnothera crassirosiris). — Has this bird ever been imported? I cannot call to mind any instance of a specimen having reached this country alive ; it belongs to the family NECTARINID.F). Mr. A. L. Butler found a nest of this bird at Kepong, in Selangor. The nest, an oval structure 11 ins. long and 5^ ins. in diame- ter, sewn to the underside of a large plantain leaf, and composed entirely of dried plantain fibre. The entrance was at the side against the leaf, which formed part of the back wall of the nest; it contained two fresh eggs, pure white, with a broad zone formed by a tangled confusion of very slender lines of a blackish-brown pigment, the tracery being both fantasti and beautiful. Size of eggs || X yV and J| x $|. 22 RARK Birds AT THE Zoo : Mr. A. Pain, who, in conjunction with his brother, has been the generous donor of Humming Birds and many other rare and uncommon Neotropical Birds to the Zoo, has again recently pre- sented another valuable series, many of which are new to the Collection. The Collection has been further enriched by a presentation from the Hon. C. Willoughby of some thirty South African Birds, only one of which is how- ever new to the Collection. * Kouuiui's Colins Emerald Tanagers Yellow-winged Sugar Birds * Mack-capped Bulbul All Green ,, Green Toucanets * Olive Saltators Blue-winged ,, Sauternine Mocking Bird Rose-breasted Grosbeak Orange-browed ,, Mexican or Green Jay Macqueen's Bustards * Desniarest's ,, Brazilian Hangnests Brazilian ,, * Scarlet Cardinal Rufous Pigeons Also Grenadier, Orange, Taha, and Black-fronted Weaver Birds; Long and Pin-tailed Whydahs, and Talpacoti and Scaly Doves. The Black-capped or Layard's Bulbul (Pycnonoius layardi) : This species is new to the Collection, and is certainly not one of the least interesting of this fine group. It ranges over practically the whole of South Africa, while on the Eastern Coast it spreads as far north as Kilima- Njaro and Mombasa. The general body colouring is various shades of brown, paler on the uuderparts, becoming ashy-white on the lower breast and abdomen ; crown, sides of face and chin, black ; under tail-coverts, yellow. From the records of various Naturalists we learn that the nest is cup-shaped, and mostly placed in the fork of a tree ; the clutch of three or four pinkish white eggs are blotched and spotted with purple-brown and grey. Though not of brilliant plumage, it is nevertheless a handsome and striking bird. The female is similar as to plumage, but slightly duller in hue. The Olive SalTator (Sallalor olivescens). Also new to the Col- lection, and another somewhat plainly clad, yet handsome species. Hab., Venezuela, Trinidad, and Northern Colombia. The general body colouring is cinerous, much paler on the under-surface ; wings and tail blackish, most of the feathers edged with pale cinerous; middle of throat white, broadly flanked on either side with black; lower part of abdomen and ventral region, ochraceous. Bold and handsome birds, should not be associated with smaller or weaker species. Sonnini's Crested Quail or Colin {Eupsychortyx sonninii) : A handsome and raie species; all the Quails are of much interest, and mostly soon become accustomed to captivity and are very ready to reproduce their kind ; conditionally of course upon suitable environment being given them. One of the main conditions necessary, in fact almost a sine qua non being growing grass. It is ruddy-brown above, variegated with brown and buff; the under parts are rufous, mottled with black; chest, pale vinaceous. Hab., Venezuela, Trinidad, and Northern Colombia. Neiv to the Collection. * New to the Collection. Mexican or Green Jay (Xanthura luxuosa) : One of the finest of this handsome group, scarcely one of which merit the designation plain, but this is a bold, handsome and really beautiful species. The general body colouring is green, with centre of abdomen yellow; the outer tail feathers are also partially yellow ; the head is variegated with black and blue. Hab , Southern Texas and Mexico. It does not appear to have been re- presented in the Gardens since 1877. DksmarhsT's Grken Tanager {Callisle desmaiesti) : A rare and beautiful species from Northern Venezuela and Trinidad. Adult male: Rich shining grass-green ; head, rich glossy chestnut ; wings and tail blackish, broadly margined with bright green ; beak, legs and feet, dark brown. Total length 4f inches, tail if inches. New to the Collection. Blue-winged Tanagkr [Callisle cyanoptera). An exceedingly beautiful species from Venezuela. Adult male: Head, neck, sides of face, chin, throat and upper breast black, with violaceous reflections; wings and tail deep bluish-black, edged with blue; remainder of upper and under parts golden straw colour, suffused with light green on sides of breast and lower back; upper tail-coverts, light green; beak, black; legs and feet, brownish-black. Total length 5! inches, tail 2 inches. In general appear- ance this species bears a close resemblance to the Sugar Birds (Dacnis) ; it is however a little larger and more stoutly built. Hab., Venezuela. Scarlet Cardinal (Cardinalis phazuiceus). This species far sur- passes the well-known and beautiful Virginian Cardinal for brilliancy of plumage. It has a truly regal appearance, being nearly as rich in colour as the Scarlet Tanager. The Rev. H. D. Astley has possessed this species, but if I remember rightly it was while he was staying in Italy some few years ago, and I do not think his two specimens lived long enough to accompany him to this country: thus it would appear that this specimen is not merely neiv to the Collection, but the first imported to this country. These two presentations form an interesting addition to the series of rare birds at the Zoo, and to those interested in such, an observant examination of same occupies a good portion of time. Lack of space pre- vents notice of many of the fine species included therein ; however many of them have alreadv been described in back issues of Bird Notes. Chestnut-backed Tanager (Callisle pre/iosa): While on the sub- ject of rare Tanagers, it may be well to briefly note one of which I have never seen a living specimen, and which I do not think has been imported to this country. It is a native of Southern Brazil ami in my opinion one of the most beautiful of this gorgeous genus. Adult male: Head and neck to middle of back, rich coppery-chestnut, with a golden sheen on the crown and ear-coverts ; lower back and wing coverts, rich ochraceous tinged with green ; wing and tail black, edged with bluish ; under parts grass-green, 24 merging into bluish-green on the lower abdomen; vent, chestnut ; beak, legs, and feet, brownish-black. Total length 6\ inches, tail i\ inches. The female is quite distinct from the male. Upper parts dark green, suffused with chestnut on the head, neck, and upper back ; wings and tail black, ed<*ed with green ; underparts pale green, with the middle of abdomen whitish; ventral region, rufous. The skin is gorgeous, the living bird must be beautiful beyond description ; under the influence of light the hues of its plumage must be ever changing. A ST. Helena Seed-eater x Canary PIybrid: Capt. Sherard Reeve informs me that last year the above hybrid was successfully reared in his aviary; it still lives and is a very fine bird. In response to my request for further details the following has come to hand. " The hen canary is a " verv dark coloured one, being brown on wings and back. They had " about four nests in all and so far as I could make out only one egg on each "occasion ; they hatched out once previously but the fledgeling was thrown " out of the nest while very young. The young one reared was the result " of their third attempt, and does not at all resemble the Seed-eater. Its " head and wings resemble the hen, but the back, top of tail and breast, "have thrown back to light canary-yellow. It was hatched end of July; " chiefly fed by the cock and was reared on ants' eggs, chopped egg and " biscuit, and green food. It left the nest on August 12th, when the hen " began to sit again. I am inclined to think it is a hen." The Club's Certificates: The following have been awarded : Miss Rosa Little, for breeding Swainsou's Lorikeet for the first time for nearly 30 years in this country. W. E. Teschemaker, for breeding the Chingolo Sparrow for the first time in this country. Miss Drummond, for breeding a hybrid Java Sparrow X Silverbill for the first time in this country. Will those who have been awarded Certificates note that the delay in send- ing them out has been owing to getting them designed. The design is now complete and all will be distributed by end of this mouth or early in April at latest. Correspondence. THE GRKY BULBUL. Sik, — I have just obtained a Grey Bulbul, supposed to be the White- Browed Bush Bulbul (Ixos viresceits). It is a grey green all over; vent, lemon yellow, and bottom of breast pale green, top white, yellow under throat and white eyebrow with black streak running through. Is it rare ? Please tell me what you can about it. (Mrs.) E. Warren Vernon. [So far as your description is complete, jour bird appears to be the one described below, the particulars of which I have "leaned from Jerdon's Birds of India. It is uncommon, in fact, rare on the British and Continental Markets, but has been known at the Zoological Gardens since 1880 or there- abouts I believe (am speaking from memory.)] White-Browkd Bush Bui is . ) By H. E. Bliss. I venture to give a few notes on the Golden-breasted Bunting (Emberiza flavive?itris) with the hope that they may be of some assistance to those who possess one or more of these very interesting and beautiful birds. I merely wish to relate my experience with the bird that has been in my possession for some time without any wish to suggest that this is either the best, or the most suitable treatment for it. My bird has always thriven well and I therefore give my experience for what it is worth. I had been on the look out for one of these birds for a long time, having heard what delightful pets the)' made ; this I found to be quite true, for I have never seen birds so tame within a few days of being caught. Still more anxious was I to obtain one when I saw a pair in one of the public parks in Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony ; they were in perfect condition and their yellow breasts of a particularly deep and rich colour. This pair, I have always thought, must have escaped from captivity as I never met this species again in the Port Elizabeth district. I never suc- ceeded in getting quite the condition and "finish" on my bird that I should have liked, but I had a pair of Gouldians at this time which moulted out with such a perfect "bloom" on them that they quite put into the shade the very best appearance that my Bunting could ever produce. One day I had the opportunity of buying a pair, but I was so pressed for room at the time that I only bought the cock bird, and I have regretted ever since that I did not find room some- where for the hen as well. This bird was very tame and confiding from the first, although it had only been caught a couple of days, and it was not long before he would take insects from my fingers without any signs of nervousness or fear. His likes and dislikes in the matter of food were very varied. I always fed him on plain canary seed with a little white millet and as many live insects as I had time to catch. On this treatment he was always in perfect health until the middle of last summer, by which time he had been some three months in this country. At that time I gave him mixed seed (as ordinarily sold in packets) instead of plain canary and shortly after he " went wrong" altogether, in fact I quite thought I should lose him. I at once put him on to plain canary seed, and in about a week he was quite himself again. Whether it was the mixed seed that upset him, or some insect that did not agree with him, I cannot say, but I took no more risks and fed him on plain canary seed which has kept him in perfect health ever since. Green food he did not seem to care for : the only sorts that I have seen him eat being seeding grass and chickweed, and he would never eat much even of these. In the way of fruit, ripe plums and grapes I think were about the only ones he would 36 touch ; at times I have seen him eat some plum with great relish while at other times he would not touch it. I have no doubt he appreciated fruit all the more when the supply of live insects was restricted. I tried him with one or two kinds of insectivorous food but they did not seem to appeal to his taste at all. Spiders, fresh ants' eggs, moths and smooth caterpillars were what he preferred to anything else, and, when these were not to be procured, house flies and dried ants' eggs were much appreciated. Mealworms I have never given him as I have always been able to procure a sufficient supply of other insects. I have seen it stated that these Buntings are particularly fond of small beetles, but I must admit, as far as my limited experience goes, these and wood-lice were the very insects that my bird would have nothing to do with. These birds are quite hardy ; mine has spent most of his time in travelling — summer and winter — and has lived mostly in unheated rooms but never exposed to draughts, though he always seemed happier when hung out in the sun on a warm day or when kept in a warm room. His song if not pleasing to some people's ears is, to say the least of it, novel and quite unlike that of any other bird I have heard. I will not attempt to describe it, except to say that some notes are very shrill and penetrating, others soft and plaintive, while one note in particular sounds exactly like a Budgerigar singing. When in Port Elizabeth he sang most days early in the morning after having his bath, but strange to say he hardly sang at all when he came to this country until after he had been to the Crystal Palace show. Ever since then he has sung beautifully. The colour of this Bunting, its nesting habits, etc. have already been most ably described by Mr. Page, but if my ex- periences in keeping a solitary specimen of this bird should be of any interest to others, I shall feel more than pleased that I responded to our Editor's suggestion that I should contribute an article on the subject. V. c 50 37 £be Ctrl Bunting. By W. E. Teschemaker, B.A. If I were asked to name the three most characteristic birds of our fair County of Devon, I think I should reply the Buzzard, the Nuthatch and the Cirl Bunting. The Cirl Bunting, more- over, has quite a special connection with Devonshire, historically, for it was near Kingsbridge, in the year 1800, that Colonel Montagu first noted this as a British species. In the follow- ing year he found it nesting in this county and communicated to the Ljnnean Society an account of the method by which he suc- ceeded in rearing the young (Trans. Linn. Soc. VII. pp. 276-280). It is far from being a common bird and its distribution is irregular, but during the greater portion of the year it may usually be seen in the neighbourhood of Plymouth, Kingsbridge, Torquay, Teigumouth, Exeter, Exinouth and Seaton ; also in some parts of North Devon, as, for instance, near Barnstaple. As will be inferred from the above list this species has a decided preference for the sea coast and the numerous small valleys run- ning inland therefrom, but avoids the great central tablelands of Dartmoor and Exmoor. Despite the great number of books written on British Birds and the large and increasing number of bird-lovers, I have a strong suspicion (which I state with all deference to those who think to the contrary) that we really know next to nothing about birds. For instance, what do we know about the real reasons which influence the distribution of species. Any bird-book will tell us that the Cirl Bunting is seldom found in the United Kingdom elsewhere than in the South-Western counties, but not one can tell us why. There is evidence that of late years the Cirl Bunting has extended its range into Central Wales, and here again we seek in vain for a motive. Although these problems remain to be solved, we can, by comparing the localities in which this species is found, obtain some idea of its requirements. The first of these is I think a warm, sunny environment: hence probably its preference for the South-Western counties. 3§ This species is extremely sensitive to cold, which perhaps ex- plains why it is never found in exposed and elevated situations ; I have never found it in Devonshire above 600 feet. In my aviary, the Cirl Buntings are always the first to seek the shelter of the warm covered house as soon as a shower comes on. They may then be seen sitting in a row on a shelf preening themselves and enjoying the warm dry air given off by the hot water pipes, whilst little Waxbills from tropical Africa are enjoying a good bath in a puddle outside and defying the elements. Its second requirement, I think, is seclusion and plenty of covert, but the latter must not consist of woods but of thick hedges, banks and hillsides well set with gorse and scrub. This too we can understand for, when we come to study the bird in an aviary, we at once notice its shy retiring nature. It has been remarked by a writer in " British Birds" (Feb. 190S) that the Cirl Bunting has a preference for a limestone soil. I believe this is not a fanciful assumption for I have an entry in my note-book somewhat to the same effect, uaniel)', that though found in the winter on the sandstone tract which lies between Babbacombe and Exmouth, it seems to choose a limestone dis- trict for nesting. This no doubt is to be explained by its requirements in the matter of food. In the winter its staple food consists of grass seeds and, at this time of the year, it may some- times be seen amongst the flocks of Yellowhammers round the farmer's cornstacks, but in the summer months it is largely an insectivorous bird. The young are fed exclusively on insects and the female during incubation is fed by the male on the same diet. I once spent a whole afternoon watching a pair of Cirl Buntings feeding a nest of young. The nest was in a thick hedge and, every time the parents returned with a fresh supply of food, they alighted on a tall stake about twenty yards from the nest, so that by focussing my binoculars on the stake, I was soon able to ascertain that they were feeding principally with spiders. Now a limestone soil (and still more a chalk soil) is very favourable to the Arachnidse. In the winter theCiil Buntings seem to roam about finding food where they can, either singly or in small companies of three or four individuals. At this season I have often seen them searching the grass plots of gardens in Teignmouth. Should the winter be a severe one, many die and still more migrate to the Continent, for, as I have already noted, this species cannot endure cold or damp. From its migratory habit is presumably derived the Devonshire name for the bird — the French Yellow- hammer. In March this Bunting may be seen in pairs and in in- creased numbers, due presumably to the return of the migrants from the Continent. In April it seeks its nesting haunts in some warm secluded valley near the coast. In forming my collection of Photos of the nests of British Birds I have always endeavoured, in the case of each species, to obtain a picture of a typical locality where I have actually found a nest, and to me these are interesting in themselves, besides adding to the value of such a collection from an artistic point of view. The little study which accompanies these notes represents the place where I first found a Cirl Bunting's nest, and where a pair bred for a succession of years — Trusham Bridge, about three miles from Chudleigh, on the Upper Teign. This is a charming spot, very warm and sheltered and surrounded by steep hills. On the Bridge itself the Grey Wagtail, Blue Tit and Spotted Flycatcher nest yearly. A Dipper nests little more than one hundred yards above the Bridge. The Kingfisher flashes up and down the stream the whole day long. The Nightingale sings in a small copse behind the railway station (for we have a good many Nightingales in Devon, despite the popular tradition to the contrary) and in the deep gorse on the bank on the left of the picture, in company with many Linnets, Willow Wrens and Chiffchaffs, the Cirl Buntings used to build. (The gorse has now been cut down, but the Cirl Buntings have not gone far- away.) One June day I was having lunch with a friend above this gorse-covered bank when I heard the unmistakable song of this Bunting, and soon detected the singer concealed in a bramble- bush. We kept our eye on him and saw him flit away across the railway line, returning presently with an insect. After eyeing us carefully for some minutes he suddenly disappeared. A second time we saw him go through this manoeuvre and, when he again 4o went off on a foraging expedition, I slipped into the gorse and hid myself. After a long wait I saw the bird drop into the gorse about fifty yards lower down and, marking the exact place, I followed him up quickly and put the hen Bunting off the care- fully hidden nest. Only in this way are you likely to find a Cirl Bunting's nest. The nest, placed in the very thickest of the tangle, about two feet from the ground, closely resembled that of the Yellow- hammer. The eggs, shown in our illustration, though possessing the characteristic markings of the Buntings, can be easily dis- tinguished from those of any other member of the family. I make it a rule never to take any eggs, but on this occasion I transgressed the rule because the Cirl Bunting is not a rare bird and I was particularly anxious to see if I could rear the young under a hen Canary. So we tied up the eggs in moss and sus- pended them so as to be in contact with the water jacket of the 8-h.p. engine of our small motor-car, and in this way they were kept beautifully warm during our thirteen miles drive home- Never probably since that far-off day, in the dim and distant past, when the first Cirl Bunting laid its first egg, have any embryo Cirl Buntings found themselves in similar surroundings! The eggs hatched in four days but the foster mother, in spite of much patient effort, failed to rear the young. This species is rather a late breeder, but generally succeeds- in rearing two broods between the beginning of June and the end of August. The song, which may be heard at any time between February and the latter month, has been compared to that of the Lesser Whitethroat and the Wood Wren, but to my mind it is simply the song of the Yellowhammer with the long drawn out final syllable omitted. Whilst singing the bird throws its beak upwards until it is nearly vertical. The reason of this is simply, I think, the bird's desire to show off its singularly marked throat. In the same way the Pope Cardinal, in the days of his courtship, displays his crimson gorget ; the cock Chaffinch droops his wing to show the white bars; the Crested Lark raises his wings to show his speckled breast, and a certain well-known actress, who is frequently photographed, assumes an expansive smile which reveals nearly the whole of a very nice set of teeth. 41 In an aviary the Cirl Bunting is by no means an easy bird to keep in good health, and perhaps for this reason it has always been one of my ambitions to breed it. It requires warmth, plenty of space and growing grass, but after providing these and insect food in abundance, still the bird will generally be found to languish after a time. It seems quite contented, sings and feeds well, but after a time it begins to mope and, when it reaches this stage it should be at once released or it will die. There is always an exception to every rule and I have a female of this species which has spent three years in my largest aviary. Each summer it has built a nest and once it laid a clutch of eggs. The Cirl Bunting is not a quarrelsome species (I have five now together yet I see no fighting) but when it meets a Yellowhammer, there will surely be a battle. There is one insult that a bird can never forgive, namely, that another bird, not of its own species, should dare to wear similar colours. I have at the present time a cock Blue Grosbeak and a cock Jacariui Finch in an outdoor aviary. Both these birds are of a dark indigo blue and they never meet without some feathers falling. I do not, however, think we can call this a singular characteristic for we must all have noticed that our sisters are stirred to the inmost depths of their being should any of their friends appear in a similar hat or gown to their own. My Cirl Buntings spend most of their time on the ground, where they seem to expect to find their food. As a matter of fact the seed tins are raised some three feet from the floor on account of mice, yet they may be seen intently scrutinizing the ground beneath the tins for the waste seed which the other birds let fall from above. It never seems to occur to them to fly up and help themselves. Their gait is singular, being neither a hop nor a run, but somewhat resembling that of the Chaffinch. Their call note is a weak monosyllabic chirp which is often heard at night, at which time no species is more restless and easily disturbed. Of the six species of Buntings I have kept, my favourite is the Lapland, with its pretty warbling song and handsome nuptial dress. The Snow Bunting will live for any length of time in captivity, but is a most phlegmatic, uninteresting bird. 42 and so is the Ortolan. The Reed Bunting and Yellowhamnier are quite worth keeping. The Cirl Bunting I think we must call the most delicate of all though it is quite one of the most interesting:. Ilvoo IRare Birfts. By Mrs. E. Warren Vernon. RUBY-THROATED WARBLER. Mr. Page gave the description of these lovely birds in March issue. The extreme length of leg is most curious, and this, combined with their love of water, makes one fancy they must live near streams. Mine is in immature plumage having no black patches or markings yet. He is very like a Nightingale in colour with a bright Robin-like eye. Sings almost incessantly a regular Warbler-like song ; very loud and with a good variety of notes. He is one of the tamest birds I have had ; comes out each day for his bath and returns at once to his cage to dry and preen his plumage. Diet : Soft food, some boiled rice, sultanas, mealworms, and flies. He will not eat fruit. I put him into a large cage with some other peaceful birds, but he was so miserably frightened and uncomfortable that I returned him at once to the enjoyment of his own cage. THE GREY BULBUL. This rare bird is of a dirty grey-green colour, and is most unattractive, save for his lovely song. It sounds like water bubbling, and makes you think of hot days and cool running streams gurgling over little rocks. He sings practically all day, and is a very quiet and well ordered bird, hardly moving at all from one spot. His somewhat sombre plumage is varied with a little white over each eye, and a pale yellow patch under throat, but at present he is not in good plumage, and giving a descrip- tion is not an easy matter. Diet : Fruit, soft food and mealworms ; the latter he is very fond of and cleverly catches them in the air. Very amiable and gentle with other birds. 43 Strap Botes on mv> Biros. By C. H. Row. At the last Crystal Palace Show I had the pleasure of a short chat with our worthy Editor, who apparently considered it my duty to write "something" for Bird Notes. This is a very large order for one who is very much an amateur in foreign bird keeping. I, however, promised to do my best and our Editor has promised to knock this article into shape. My earliest experience of foreign birds related to three or four Black-headed Maunikins that were given to my parents. For a good many years after that foreign birds dropped out of my life ; in fact, until after my marriage I never owned one. About 1900, my friend, Mr. Allen Silver, was leaving home and presented my wife with a Silverbill and a Ribbon Finch. The Silverbill used to lay about one egg every week, and she laid herself to death in the end like the hen who first tried the patent nest box with the trap door below, through which the eggs dis- appeared as soon as laid. In 1902 I moved to Sudbury, and then seriously began to take up the hobby. In conjunction with Mr. Silver I got out " plans and specifications" for my first aviary. It consisted of a covered-iu shed about 5 ft. by 4 ft., partly boarded in front and a wire run about the same size. We made the whole of it our- selves and were rather proud of our work. I invested in some Budgerigars — I believe three pairs — and I know that in the five years I had that aviary I bred between thirty and forty young " Budgies" each season, and the proceeds went a long way to- wards paying my seed bill. I also bought a pair of Cockatiels in Sclater Street for 5/6, and turned them in with the " Budgies." I bred five or six youngsters the first year from them, but only three lived ; the next year the cock bird died, and although I had never found either of them in the least spiteful, directly the lady was left a widow she turned nasty tempered and broke a leg or two of her smaller companions. Well, once I had a touch of the "bird fever" I took it badly, and although it is now six years since I got that touch, it does not look as if there is any hope of a cure. I see something 44 fresh : I want it and if the pocket will stand it I have to have it. I have now kept about thirty different varieties of foreigners, including the Black-headed, Red-billed and Rufons-necked Weavers. I am not very fond of these as cage birds, although they make charming inhabitants of a large aviary if kept separate from weaker birds. The only one I have now is the Rufous- necked ; this was given me in 1904, having previously been in an outdoor aviary, and when I first had him was as " wild as a Hawk" and as disreputable looking as a village sweep. He took a lot of taming down, but came into grand plumage in 1905, and was good enough to secure second prize at Cambridge Show in that 3'ear and also in 1906. I have also kept Combassous, Zebra Finches, Pekin Robins and Saffron Finches. I have also a pair of Paradise Whydahs, and when Mr. Whydah is in full plumage he is the wonder of all my friends. At the C. P. Show I saw Mr. Watts' Queen Whydah, and I really am afraid I " shan't be happy till I get one." I am not a great lover of the larger foreigners, but at one time or another have owned the "Moustache" and "Indian" Parrakeets, and at the present moment I have the Red and Yellow-vented Blue Bonnets — lovely birds, but so nervous ; a Rosella and a pair of Scaly-breasted and a Blue-breasted Lorikeet. I did not intend to keep the Scaly-breasted, but the wife fell in love with them, so of course I dare not part with them. I have purposely left the Australian Finches to the last as these are my special fancy. I have had the following at different times: Chestnut - breasted, Masked, Long -tailed, Gouldian, Parson, Rufous-tailed, Parrot, Bicheno Finches and Diamond Sparrows ; in fact I have one or more examples of all, except the first three, at the present time. The Gouldian and Parson Finches are great favourites of mine, the latter has such a quiet, self satisfied look about him, and he always looks as clean as a new pin. As to breeding results, except as to Budgerigars and Cockatiels, these are practically nil. I once had a young Ribbon- finch partly reared, but he got out of the nest before he was feathered and " did a die." Zebra Finches have nested with me, but the hen I had seemed to consider the proper way to reproduce 45 her kind was to build a nest, lay one egg, build some more nest, and about a week after lay another egg and so on ; needless to say she never " had any luck." What great expectations we do have, and how quickly they are shattered ! This spring I am moving to a larger house with good garden, and I hope soou to be the proud owner of several decent aviaries. My great wish is to try to rear some hybrids between foreign finches. I am afraid I can tell your readers very little that can be of use to them ; there is however one thing I should like to mention. Sometimes I have been troubled with growths on the feet of birds in the shape of small lumps on the joints. Last year I had a Siberian Goldfinch affected in this way on one claw, and tried the experiment of removing the ordinary perches from his cage and substituting the branchy end of a pea stick : this, consisting as it did of small branches of various sizes, gave him a chance of using his feet more, and in about a fortnight the lump entirely disappeared. I give this for what it is worth, but cer- tainly think it is worth trying. Strav> IRotes on mv> H\>ian> anD its 3nmates. By Capt. J. S. REEVE. My aviary was constructed three years ago out of a portion of ui}' house, which faces south, and it is roughly of the following dimensions : height 15 feet; length 12 feet; depth 6 feet. At the eastern end is a window hermetically sealed with a sheet of plate glass, and at the opposite end is a wooden door from which the aviary can be cleaned out; the only opening therefore is in the western end of the southern wall, which is a large one (9 feet high by 6 feet wide) and which is never closed summer or winter. The floor is concrete and has a stone basin in it for water. I keep no soft-billed birds, and feed only on millet and Canary except plenty of green food. In the frosty weather a little hemp, and in the summer ants' eggs are given. I will now give you a list of those birds which have survived this or last winter in this aviary, with any special notes connected with each. Zebra and Diamond Doves have laid and sat, but always had their nests destroyed. Java Sparrows never attempted breeding till after two years when they hatched two young ones out of four eggs, but deserted them before they were fledged. 46 Spice-birds. Zebra Finches have bred successfully each year. Budgerigars have done likewise. Pair Combassous liave survived one winter. Canaries have hatched out young ones. Cock Indigo Bunting was sickly two mouths in the house, and on being put out sufficiently recovered to live i\ years. Cock Paradise Wliydah died last September, in nearly full colour, having lived over two years, and always in perfect condition. Pair Siskins, caught here in January, 1906, and still in perfect health ; pair Brauiblings, these are the only English birds I have. Cock St. Helena Seedeater, this bird and the two following pairs were brought me from Beaufort West, Cape Colony, in May, 1906. Pair Cape Canaries, hen died a year ago of severe inflammation of lungs after nine months. Pair Alario Finches, cock died in January, 1907, after six or seven months. Two cock Napoleon Weavers. Pair Avadavats, hen died in October last, after nearly three months — I think from egg-binding. Cock Red-headed Weaver, two other Weavers (probably hens of sorts). Cock Dufresne's Waxbills : a pair of these were brought me with others, from Beaufort West, (May, 1906); the hen was in good plumage always, and the cock bald; and until the hen died I kept them in the house and tried to cure the cock's baldness, first by syringing every morn- ing, and then by giving magnesia. I then put him out in the aviary on August 28th, 1906, but on November 7th, as he appeared weak, I took him in. He was killed the same night by a mouse or other birds in the cage, but the feathers zvere growing on his head and neck with the out-door life, though it had been bald for eighteen months. The number in the aviarv at one time has varied from thirty up to fifty. I propose adding, this summer, Silverbills, Avadavats and Green Avadavats, and possibly Cherry and Gouldiau Finches. The above mentioned cock St. Helena Seedeater paired with a hen Canarj% a very dark-coloured one, brown on wings and back. They had about four nests, and, so far as I could make out, only one egg usually. They hatched certainly once besides, the young one being thrown out on the floor one morning. The one they reared was about their third attempt, and does not take at all after the Seedeater ! Its head and wings resemble the hen, but the back, top of tail and breast have thrown back to light yellow canary colour. It was hatched end of July, chiefly fed by cock with ants' eggs, chopped egg and biscuit, and green food, and left the nest on August 12th, when the hen began to sit again. I am inclined to think it is a hen. 47 I may mention to you another occurrence which is rather unusual. I have about twenty-four Barbary Doves flying wild and breeding out in the open ; ill the summer a wild Turtle-dove took up with them, and so far as I know is still here — at any rate it has been to feed with them at the window within the last few days, and is quite tame. If I can give any further information about my aviary I shall be glad to do so. All I have in my cages in the house at present are : pair St. Helena Waxbills, brought from Beaufort West, May, 1906 ; one Common South African Waxbill ; one cock Red-headed Weaver ; one cock St. Helena Seed- eater (which I wish to part with) ; one Silverbill ; one unknown bird ! ; and pair Green Avadavats. The person who brought me the birds from Cape Colony is there now again, and I am hoping for some more in May. It seems a great pity the Cape Canary is not more often imported being a most charming bird ; the Seed-eaters are rather quarrelsome I find. j6Ditorial. Thk Indigo Bird (Cyanospiza cyanea). This charming bird, once freely imported and comparatively cheap, since the U. S. have prohibited the importation of their avifauna, has become both rare and costly. How- ever a few leak through occasionally and by the kindness of our esteemed member, Mr. R. Suggitt, a fine male has recently found its way into my aviary. This bird was justly a favourite when obtainable and I opine the following quotations from Miss Mabel Osgood Wright's interesting paper in Biid Lore, July-August, 1907, will interest .many of the admirers of this lovely species. " Blue that is decided in tone, and not a bluish grey, is one of the rarest hues among: " birds of temperate zones ; for one can count the really blue birds of the eastern United " States upon the fingers of one hand When it comes to painting the plumage of the " male in words, the task becomes difficult A merely technical description would '• read : Front of chin and head rich indigo blue, growing lighter and greener on back " and underparts ; wings dusky brown, with blue edges to coverts ; tail feathers also blue " edged ; bill and feet dark ; general shape rounded and Canary-like. The last of May, " one of these Buntings came to a low bush, outside my window, and after resting awhile " for the night had been stormy, dropped to the closely cut turf to feed upon the crumbs " left where the hounds had been munching their biscuits. I have never seen amorebeauti- " ful specimen, and the contrast with the vivid green grass seemed to develop the colour " of malachite that ran along one edge of the feathers, shifting as the bird moved like the " sheen of changeable silks Alexander Wilson describes its plumage so : There is one "singularity, viz., that in some lights, his plumage appears of a rich sky-blue, and in- "others of a rich verdigris-green ; so that the same bird in passing from one place to " another before your eyes, seems to undergo a total change of colour. When the angle " of incidence of the rays of light reflected is acute, the colour is green ; when obtuse, 4s ■" blue From this, however, must be excepted the colour of the head, which is not " affected by the change of position." With the above all who have kept this bird will, I am sure, fully agree, for the eulogy is most certainly not over-drawn. The nest is a loose and careless structure, composed of grass, horsehair, rootlets, bents, etc., and is usually placed on a tree or bush at a low elevation. The eggs are pale whitish-blue, and usually three or four in number. Though a seedeater, the Indigo Bunting consumes a large number of insects during the nesting season. " Their favourite resort is the garden, where from the topmost branch of some tall "tree the male regularly pours out his lovely chant. In the village of Cambridge " (Mass.), I have seen one of these azure, almost celestial musicians, regularly chant " to the inmates of a tall dwelling-house from the summit of the chimney or the tall fork " of the lightning rod." Those of us who know this avian gem amid the greenery of the out- door aviary, alone know how to appreciate its glowing beaut}- and the ever changing hues of its exquisite plumage. So great is its beauty under these conditions that it is impossible to describe it in a word picture ; what then must it be when seen as a wild creature of the air in its native wilds ! The Purple Finch, by the same author and from another issue of Bird Lore. Carpodus purpurea was like the preceeding once a common inhabitant of our aviaries, but now ver}r rarely comes to hand, was seldom seen for long in the beaut}' of full)' mature plumage. " The Purple Finch, which as I have said, is not purple, but, when in full plumage, " washed with a rich raspberry-red, deepest on breast, crown and rump : brownish back, " wings and tail, is one of the notable members of the family. Its bill is heavy and " round, approaching in size those of the Grosbeaks, while in body it ranks with Song " and House Sparrows The change of the young male from his northern plain garb to " the full crimson costume is interesting as it is deliberate, taking two seasons, the rosy " flush not appearing- till the end of the second year. The range of the Purple or " Crimson Finch, as I wish the wise men would agree to call him, is eastern North " America In spite of his unique plumage, it is for his song that this bird has won " renown, and it is by his song that he is most readily to be identified These Finches " travel at times in flocks and are at all times somewhat gregarious, and this trait has " made them an easy prey to the bird catchers The Purple Finch, though, like many " others, hunts for succulent food, apple and cherry blossoms in the spring, has a " decided economic value; for the seasons through it feeds upon orchard and woodland " caterpillars, lice, cankerworms, and when these are out of date it consumes quantities of " the seeds of injurious plants, including the noxious ragweed." As a cage bird after the moult they become more or less brown, and very seldom regain their red colour. The Purple-capped Lory laying eggs in captivity. Just on going to press a letter reaches ine from our esteemed member, Mr. O. Millsum, re his Purple-caps. They are kept in a cage 3 feet by 2 feet. " A little bit of news in which you will be interested.— One of my Purple-capped " Lories seemed very swollen round the vent during the last week, and I began to 41 feel troubled; I examined it very closely and no sign of inflammation was present, 49 " as I had always taken this bird for the cock, being much the finer and larger bird, I '• could not imagine what was the matter with it. Great indeed was my surprise, when I " went to switch on the electric light, on Friday night (April 3rd) for them to have their " supper, to find a nice white egg lying on the floor of their cage unbroken. I have since " fitted up in their cage a small barrel, similar to what I use for Cockateels, and made it " as near nature as possible by covering it with bark, and to my great delight I find she " has been exploring it, and I should imagine by her restlessness she is about to lay " again. I only hope she will take to the barrel and sit, which perhaps t can hardly " expect in a cage only 3 feet by 2 feet. However as there is the probability of their event- " ually breeding I have prepared a nice aviary out of doors for them to occupy as soon as " the weather permits me to put them out." A most interesting occurrence, and points to the fact that in this species, the female is the larger and brighter bird, providing of course the ages of Mr. Millsum's pair are about equal. Successful breeding in the cage is improbable, though certainly not impossible. However there is a very strong probability that they will successfully breed in the outdoor aviary, and I would suggest, that when they are turned out, that the barrel they have become accustomed to also form part of the furnishing of their aviary. So far I do not think this species has been bred in the United Kingdom. Chingoi.o Song-Sparrow {Zonoslricha pileata). A plainly but prettily clad species; it has a sweet but slightly monotonous little song. To call this bird plain scarcely does it justice, for the male, and for the matter of that the female also, is certainly a pretty bird, with their sharply defined greys, browns and blacks. The head, nape, and cheeks are ashen, with bold, longitudinal black stripes, sides and back of neck, reddish- brown ; back and wings ruddy-brown, with sharply defined black shaft lines to most of the feathers, lower back and tail, ashy-brown, tail feathers with paler borders ; under parts greyish-white, washed with brown on the breast^ abdomen and flanks; beak, brownish ; legs and feet, pale brown. The female is slightly smaller than the male, and her plumage is not of quite so rich a hue, but with the variableness common to all species, the sexes apart from song are not easyr to discern. Air. W. E. Teschemaker has succeeded in breeding this species and records the following among details in the Avicultural Magazine. His birds had an enclosure to themselves, "towards the middle of July I noticed the hen sitting after incubation had pro- ceeded about a mouth I examined the nest carefully and, to my very great astonish- " meut, found that it contained lour eggs and two young birds only a few days of age " I can only explain this by assuming that the hen laid three eggs, then sat a fortnight, "then laid three more eggs and sat another fortnight— an event which has never occurred "before in iny aviaries. The young birds had some whitish down on their heads and "backs. They grew and feathered very rapidly, the hen doing nearly all the feeding, "and taking nothing to the young but live insect food " The young were successfully reared to maturity and still live. This is the first occasion on which young of this species had been reared in this country. Mixed seed, soft food, and a few live insects are about all these 5° pleasing birds require. Most of the Foreign Sparrows and so called Spar- rows are really handsome birds though not gorgeously clad. As yet but few of them have been bred in captivity, a fact which makes them specially interesting to aviculturists. Erratum. The titles on plate containing the figures of Golden Plover and Young Pewitt as printed should read Green Plover and Young Peewit, the error occurred through the misreading of the small writing on block, and we regret it passed unnoticed. IReviews ano Ifootices of IFlew Books. Last Hours with Nature. By Mrs. Euza Brightwen, F.Z.S., F.E.S. Published by T. Fisher Unwjn, i, Adelphi Terrace, London, W.C. 2/6 net. Yet another book from the fruitful pen of this popular and versatile author. It is written in her inimitable, interesting and lucid style, and ■while it is, as are all her works, peerless as gift books to the young, it is none the less entrancing to persons of riper years. Every page shows an intimate acquaintance and even familiarity with the wild creatures of the •earth and air that is attained to but by few; and the life histories of creatures, plants, etc., dealt with in this her latest work, are told with that freshness and charm that is only possessed by those who have made a life-long study of the Creator's handiwork in hedge-row, garden, and field. It is well illustrated, contains 220 pages of text and has for a frontispiece a portrait of the author. It contains, life histories and anecdotes of Toads, Badger, Nightingale, Robin, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Locust, Blue-bottle Flies, Jumping Beans, numerous seedling trees and plants ; a chapter on Nature Study, Diary of a Tour, and Some entries in a Naturalist's Diary. Perhaps the most interesting chapter to bird-lovers is the one entitled .a " Trio of Vocalists" from which we extract the following : — " It is not often possible to study the habits of such birds as Nightingales, Black- " caps and Whitethroats when they are perfectly at ease and therefore free to show their "natural characteristics. As it happens I can do this, since I possess a perfectly tame " specimen of each of these birds. It is one of my favourite amusements to let all three out "of their cages, and whilst I am quietly writing I watch their behaviour towards each " other. Thus it has come to pass that the shy English Nightingale, so seldom seen except " perhaps in early summer, when we may chance to get a glimpse of the plain brown " bird which is filling the air with sweet music, perched on a spray in some woody copse, " is now my intimate friend, living with me hour by hour, calmly happy and content "and taking mealworms from my hand as readily as does my long domesticated " Whitethroat " Fairy." And so the record runs on to the end of the story. Equally interesting is the following chapter on " A Fairy Story continued." The 5i bird in question, a Whitethroat, Fairy by name, has been in Mrs. Briglitweu's possession over six years and the record is a confirmation of what members of F.B.C. are already acquainted will], viz., that intelligently kept, insec- tivorous birds can and do thrive in captivity, and are even happy and contented under such conditions. The perusal of this work cannot fail to be both instructive and interesting and is sure to awaken iu its readers a keener interest in Nature generally. British Birds : The March issue is a most interesting one, and the article by William Farren on the crouching habits of the Stone- Curlew, illustrated with four photographic reproductions of the youug crouching amidst different surroundings, is a most valuable addition to the literature of protective assimilation. Equally interesting is Major F. W. Proctor's account of the Lesser Redpoll as a Berkshire breeding species. Very valuable are Messrs. H. F. Witherby and N. F. Ticehurst's com- munications on the additions to our knowledge of British Birds since 1S99. Among the miscellaneous notes are two which cannot be passed by, both are quoted in extenso. " Thrke Cuckoo's eggs in Robin's nest : The following particulars supplied to me " by Mr. Thomas Gillah with regard to a Robin's nest iu which three Cuckoo's eggs were " laid may be of interest. The nest, which was particularly well concealed, was found at " Well Hall, near Chelsfield, Kent, in June, 1905. On 1st June, when first found, the nest "contained two eggs of a Robin and one of a Cuckoo. One of the Robin's eggs atid one " of the Cuckoo's were taken. On June 6th there were two more Cuckoo's eggs iu the " nest, while one more Robin's egg had been laid. All the eggs were fresh, but they were " cold, and appeared to have been deserted. They are now in my collection, and the " three Cuckoos' egg are so unlike each other that there can be no doubt that they were " laid by three different birds. As shewing that the Cuckoo is not always a wiseacre, I " have an egg that was placed in a Hedge Sparrow's nest three weeks after the owner " had deserted her one egg. The whole proceedings were watched by my brother who •' sent me eggs. J. F. Green." " Large clutch of Eggs of the Great Crested Gkkbe : It may interest many " to know that on 20th May, 1907, I found a nest of the Great Crested Grebe on a reservoir " near Aylesbury, Bucks, containing no less than seven eggs ! Surely this is an extremely " large number, and possibly the product of two females,* L. W. Crouch. The other notes contain records of Black Redstart near Dublin, Lesser Whitethroat in Cumberland, Cirl Bunting in Merionethshire, Common Bittern in Yorks, Greenshauk in Staffs., Ospreys iu co. Sligo, Night Heron in co. Meath, Sabine's Snipe iu co. Cork, and Sabine's Gull in the Firth of Forth. The issue is one of the most interesting yet published. The Condor, the Magazine of the Cooper Ornithological Club for January- February is to hand, and is an intensely interesting issue containing * While not impossible, it appears scarcely probable that two hens of so quarrelsome a species would lay in the same nest.— Ed. 52 a Life History of the Californian Condor by W. J,. Finley ; Nesting of the Western Horned Owl in Colorado by R. B. Rockwell; North-Western Colorado Bird Notes by E. R. Warren ; The Tawny Creeper in Western Washington by J. H.Bowles; the Southern Californian Chickadee by J. Grinnell ; Notes from the Diary of a Naturalist in Northern California by J. F. Ferry ; with many interesting notes of field observation complete a very valuable issue. One of these may interest our readers : " Is the Mountain Bluebird Resident at High Altitudes ?— During the latter part of February and early March of this year (1907), Stall's arctia * was very numerous in and about Flagstaff, Arizona, altitude 6,800 ft. ; in fact the commonest bird. The period covers the coldest weather for that locality. And as this bird is a known breeder in Northern Arizona (San Francisco Mountains), can we not infer that they are resident in that zone ? Austin P. Smith, Benson, Arizona." post HDorteni 'Reports. (Vide Rules). Pair of GouiyDiAN Finches. (W. T. Rogers). Both had jaundice, in all probability due to a chill. I think putting them into a cage just freshly distempered with Hall's patent Sanitary Distemper was a mere coincidence. Canary. (Lady Ellen Dunn). Enteritis. White Java Sparrow. (Miss E. Brooksbank). Cirrhosis of Liver. Ansivered by Post: T. N. Wilson. Henry Gray, M.R.C.V.S. *If obtainable this species should prove even more hardy than the better known Stall's stalls in this country. — Ed. All lights reserved]. [May, 1908. BIRD NOTES: THE JOURNAL OF THE FOREIGN BIRD CLUB. Gbe fellow Ibangnest. {Icterus xanthomis). By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S. This bird was first introduced to the London Zoo by our esteemed member Mr. E. W. Harper, who presented either one or two specimens, one being still alive, and a very gorgeous specimen indeed, and was looking very fit on the occasion or my last visit to the Gardens. Last year Mr. Harper brought over another specimen, which he very kindly presented to me in July last : to my very great regret it suddenly died on January 30th last. Its death was unaccountable till I opened the body, when the signs pointed to long standing liver trouble, that organ being very much enlarged. This was the more disappointing, being totally unexpected, for it had been looking very fit the whole time it had been in my possession, and the first intimation of anything wrong was picking up the bod)'. It was immature when it reached me, and a lovely creature to the eye, and was nearly in mature plumage when its unexpected decease occurred. Adult male: Of slender and graceful form, slightly smaller than the Common Hangnest, and the hues of its plumage very intense and effulgent. Upper parts rich yellow, washed with olivaceous on the interscapulium ; lores, wings, and middle of throat velvety black ; lesser wing-coverts yellow, lightly washed with green ; the greater wing-coverts, secondaries and primaries are narrowly margined with white, these markings being very variable, (comparing three skins sent me by a collector from British Guiana, all are distinctly marked with white, but vary much one from the other in the width of the white margins to the wing feathers, all in this respect differing materially from the type) ; under parts, with the exception of the throat, intense 54 golden-yellow; tail black; beak, legs and feet black. Total length yi inches, of which the tail measures 3J inches. Adult female : Similar as to plumage, but if the afore- mentioned skins are correctly sexed, she is slightly the larger bird and her bill is a trifle shorter than that of the male. Immature plumage: From my specimen this appears to be similar to the adnlt birds, with the exception of the wing and tail feathers, which are dull olive ; the other areas of colour are similar, but less intense in hue. The white margins of the coverts, primaries, and secondaries are much narrower than those of adult birds, and the bill had a lightish streak down the centre of the upper mandible, this becomes entirely black when the bird is fully mature. Habitat: Northern Columbia, Venezuela, Trinidad, Guiana, Cayenne and Upper Rio Negro (B. M. Cat.). The skins, nests, and eggs, here- in described were taken in Georgetown, British Guiana. In British Guiana it is known as the Yellow Plan- tian Eater. Breeding: I do not know of any instance of any species of Hangnest having been bred in the United Kingdom. In their native haunts they nest in colonies and suspend their elongated purse-shaped nests from the branches of trees, but des- cription is not needed as accompanying figure of one of the aforementioned nests makes this both unneces- sary and superfluous. The eggs are very pale bluish- green, lined and spotted with black. Nest of Yellow Hangnest. 55 Diet : Ripe fruit ad lib., insectile food, live insects, and a little boiled milk sop. Sweet water grapes they are specially fond of. For the aviary this species, and in fact all the Hangnests, are most desirable and beautiful inmates, while their fearless and confiding demeanour soon endear them to their owner. At the same time they should not be associated with smaller or weaker species. As cage birds they are unrivalled whether kept singly or in pairs. To illustrate my point, there is in the Western Photo by E. O. Page. Eggs of Yellow Hangnest. Aviary at the present time a specimen of the Brazilian Hangnest, so tame and fearless that the difficulty is to get rid of it: it will enter your pocket, lie on its back in your hand, hang from your finger, in fact, to sum up you can handle it as you please and it appears to enjoy it. There is also in same enclosure a specimen of the Yellow or Golden-crowned Hangnest, which is equally tame and simply crawls over you, but this individual will not permit you to handle it. The above two instances are not by any means isolated ones as the following article by Mrs. Vernon amply demonstrates. If confined in a cage it should not be less than 2ft. by lift, by lift, high ; it will also help to keep them fit if thev can be indulged with a flv round the room occasionally. 56 XTbc Bra3ilian Ibangnest. (Icterus jamaicaii). By Mrs. E. Warren Vernon. This is a lovely bird : the gorgeous brilliant orange breast, back of head and neck and lower part of back, with black bill, having long feathers which he erects at will ; black wings with white bar and black tail, makes him one of the most fascinating pets. His very pointed beak, which is also powerful, prevents his being with other birds, as he has the most mischievious pro- pensities of any bird I know. Any bright colour attracts him, and a Red-cheeked Bulbul was nearly worried to death by his constant attempt to pick the red off. A Scarlet Tanager was equally worried by his trying to examine the white marks on his beak. Any material he finds he puts his beak through and opens it, the noise of tearing apparently pleasing him. He eats fruit, soft food, raw egg, a little of anything you like to offer him. Bathes often, and has some lovely liquid notes. His eye is like the Troupials — pale yellow with black centre — a decidedly wicked eye. The naked skin round eye is pale bine. £ird*»1teepiii$. By Henry Gray, M.R.C.V.S., Veterinary Surgeon to the Home for Lost and Stray Dogs, Batter sea, etc. My experience of bird-keeping has been most interesting and yet most disastrous. After having kept a few thousands (both British and foreign) in outdoor aviaries and within doors I have come to the conclusion that, providing one stocks one's outdoor aviaries at a seasonable time of the year and gradually get the birds accustomed to our climate before the autumnal season sets in, most birds will stand our trying climate during the winter months. But to successfully do this one must provide suitable shelter and cover, such as thatch, straw, logs, brushwood, etc., for the birds to creep into to keep themselves warm, just like our resident birds do in thatch, hay and straw ricks, undergrowth, ivy, yew, etc. It is unreasonable to expect foreigners to do well exposed within a cold building or shed. Another factor for 57 successful foreign bird-keeping is a dry ground surface of the aviary, else a fouled wet soil is likely to ferment during milder weather and set up an epizootic. Providing one starts with a healthy stock one may keep even the little African Fire-finches, Cordon Bleus, Nonpareils, Lineolated Parrakeels, etc., out all the winter and spring with success. My deaths among birds kept out of doors have not taken place during the coldest weather, but when it has changed from cold to warm or mugginess and wet. I have not noticed any superior advantage in keeping most species in the house. There are, however, exceptions to this even amongst those thoroughly acclimatised to the cold room within doors. Red- faced Love Birds, kept for more than a year exposed in a cage in an open alcove, seemed in the pink of condition until turned out into an open aviary on a fine day in spring, when they suc- cumbed within a week. I will, however, allow that the nights turned chilly and the birds seem to have had no sense of taking cover. I do not believe in artificial heat in a bird-room during the winter if the birds have got acclimatised to the room. But newly-purchased ones frequently succumb to cold, as they often do under any conditions. There is no harm in covering them up until they get accustomed to their new surroundings and have got over the rough usage they have been subjected to during their transit from the catcher to the purchaser. Draughts are fatal. The majority of freshly-imported birds coming from dealers die soon after they have been purchased by the avicul- turist. The cause of this may be attributed to several factors, the principal of which are: — (i) Infection contracted at the large bird-market or at the dealer's establishment. (2) Exposure and bad treatment during transit, which may bring on an auto-infection. (3) Improper food or a too sudden change in the quality or quantity of the food. I. — Infection contracted at the large bird- market or at the dealer's establishment is the principal cause of mortality. It 58 may not have been contracted at the large continental bird-mar- ket but at the wholesale or retail dealers' establishments which are mostly reeking with infective microbes, even if they are not kept in a most insanitary, filthy condition — in a condition the sanitary authorities would not allow a pig or a cow to be kept. As bird-keeping is not absolutely essential to our well-being, moral or material, I think it is only a moral duty that we, who have a predilection for this kind of pleasure, should see that the poor creatures are treated as well as possibly could be, and not allowed to suffer from over-crowding, want of food and clean water, disease and filth, just for the gain of those who trade in them. What right have we to encourage wholesale misery to, and slaughter of, the majority of birds caught for our pleasure? I, whose profession daily brings me into contact with suffering, and who, therefore, it might be supposed, would have a callous heart, have truly been sorry for the poor creatures cooped up like bees in a hive; in fact I cannot express my true feeling. But let me return to the subject of infection. Birds when just purchased may apparently be in good health, and remain so for a few days to a week or a month or so, when they gradually droop and die one after another, until most, if not all, have died. The reason the bird appears well at first and afterwards dies is because the infection takes time to declare itself in the form of disease. There is a quiescent period, or period of incubation, from the time of the inception of the infection to the onset of illness. The purchaser of birds is not alone in this misfortune ; thosewhobuyayounghor.se, dog or cat from a dealer's estab- lishment, which is reeking with infection, frequently have the animal at home a few days or a week or so before it falls ill and very often dies. No doubt young horses from the country, pup- pies or kittens from the breeder, are perfectly healthy until they enter the dealer's establishment where they are not long before a customer comes along and buys one, which then seems in the best of health and spirits. But it has not been in its new owner's possession long before it becomes a patient for the veterinary surgeou. I have encountered hundreds of such cases and profited from them. No doubt many of your readers have had such au 59 experience. Those who have not should go to the "Stores," to a dog-dealer's, etc., and buy a kitten or puppy " over distemper.'* They may be told it is so, but the seller will give no guarantee. There are many infectious, contagious or inoculable diseases of birds, but the most disastrous is that due to " invisible, ullravisible or ultra-microscopic microbes" which are, as their names imply, too small to be seen by the most powerful microscope yet devised. They have not up to the present been cultivated in an}' known culture medium. They are so small that they pass through some of the finest mesh bacteriological filters. Most of the true contagious, infectious, or inoculable diseases of animals, and probably those of man, are due to this class of micro-organism. To give a few instances of the disease they are known to cause. I may mention spotted tobacco-leaf disease, foot-and-mouth disease, cattle- plague, Cape horse-sick- ness, swine-fever, (which now includes swine-fever proper and swine-plague), canine and feline distemper, fowl-plague, pheasant- plague, bird-plague, rabies, malarial catarrh of sheep, pernicious anaemia of horses, contagious conjunctivitis of cattle, sheep and goats, yellow-fever of man, etc. The contagious pleuro-pneumonia of oxen is due to an almost invisible microbe which passes through filters having a certain degree of porosity, and which has been cultivated in collodion sacs inserted in the peritoneal cavity of the rabbit and external to the animal body, in both liquid and solid media. But, as I have said above, birds may die of many in- fectious diseases, the majority of which are due to microbes dis- coverable by the microscope. They include tuberculosis, bird- cholera (a septicaemia), bird-fever (so-called bird-plague), which has been studied by Rieck of Dresden in iSSS, Clarke, Kern of Buda-Pesth in 1895, and Creswell, among others ; colon-bacilli infection, avian diphtheria (not allied to human diphtheria), avian choleraic gastro-enteritis, spirochaetosis, spirillosis, etc. There are many other diseases of birds, such as piroplas- mosis, trypanosomiasis, etc., which require to be elucidated. The cause of grouse-disease is not known, but it is very likely due to an " invisible micro-organism." The same may be said of con- tagious epitheliosis, a disease commonly confounded with avian diphtheria. 6o It is quite possible that, in the light of further research, the "bird-fever or plague" of Clarke, Creswell, and others, may be proved to be due to an invisible micro-organism ; and that the microbe mentioned by these authorities may only play a secondary role, as the formerly so-called microbe of swine-fever does in swine. This micro-organism, although causing, when pigs were fed with it, all the classical symptoms of swine-fever did not give them immunity on exposure to natural infection, nor when they were injected with the filtered blood of pigs suffering from the natural disease. The filtered blood, however, gave the natural disease to pigs which, when they recovered, were immune to the natural disease. At one time the best pathologists in nearly every country distinguished several infectious diseases of swine by the pathological lesions and by the visible microscopic micro- organisms. Now, thanks to the researches of the late Dr. Schweinitz and his colleagues in the Bureau of Animal Industry in the U.S.A., the filtrate test has convinced not only the British but also all the leading pathologists of Continental Europe, that they were studying several manifestations of one disease. Millions of pounds had been spent over these investigations during the last thirty years, and all the labour and expense has been thrown to the wind by this filtrate test, which no doubt will play in the future a very important part in the elucidation of many of the diseases of animals and man. I shall revert to this subject again in a future number of Bird Notes, as I wish, by going into side paths of bird pathology, to make my ideas about the various diseases of birds clearer to your readers. £be Breeding of Swamson's Xonfceet. ( Trichoglossus novce-hollandiee). By Miss C. Rosa Little. Two or three years ago I wrote an account of my Blue Mountain Lories for Bird Notes, and I think it may interest many to hear about my later experiences of these most quaint and interesting creatures. In my former notes I told of the affection existing between 6i the pair I first had and how on the loss of the hen bird, from a growth, the cock bird was almost wild with grief and for a long time refused to be comforted or take food. I also said that I had at last succeeded in getting another hen ; this was quite a young one and the first winter after buying her she laid two eggs, but did not seem to understand that they required incubation. On January 13th, 1907, she laid another egg, and a few days afterwards a second ; this time she took it in turns with the cock bird to sit as a rule, but sometimes both would sit at the same time, one on each egg. The}' made no nest and the eggs were laid on the floor of their cage which is about 5ft. long, 3ft. wide, and 5ft. high. At first we put the eggs into a box with a little sawdust at the bottom, but the birds would not have this and turned them out again. In due time one young bird was hatched ; we left the second egg for a week or more, not caring to disturb them as they were very shy and could not bear any one to look at their wonderful baby, which was an ugly little grey object. The second egg we afterwards found had been just ready to hatch, but we supposed the parents deserted it in their pride and excite- ment over their first born. As time went on the youngster throve and very quickly seemed to get quite grown up, but, poor thing, the toes were bitten off either by mice or the parents (we never discovered which), so that she could never perch properly. We covered the perch with wire netting and she is very clever at holding on and getting about. As she became older her parents became tired of her so we moved them to another cage and gave her as a com- panion a young cock bird that I had bought with the hen and who had deserted him for the other bird. These two have lived most happily together ever since, and are most tame and affectionate, being devoted to me and the moment they hear my voice they begin to scream and rush up and down their cage. I always have to go and talk to them befoi'e they will quiet down. I am hoping that in time these two will also breed. On November 29th last I was greeted with the news that the Lories had laid an egg. This, of course, referred to the old pair. On December 2nd there was a second egg : and the first 62 was hatched on Christinas Day ; second on the 28th December.* Both these birds are now in beautiful plumage and their beaks are already turning orange. They also are very tame and are much finer birds than the first youngster and are quite sound and perfect. These two we moved to a separate cage as soon as they could feed themselves and the parents are now sitting on two more eggs. I suppose the return of winter made them think it time to attend to their domestic affairs again, for they have never nested a second time so quickly before. It may interest our members to hear how we feed them. They love nothing better than bread and milk and this forms their chief diet. They only like it made with cold unboiled f milk on bread that has not been first soaked in water. We give them a little seed but they do not care for this much ; chickweed and watercress are their favourite green food. They are also very fond of small pieces of cake or bread and jam, also ripe fruit. My birds are very healthy and robust, in fact have never ailed since they recovered from fits, which they had soon after I bought them, except the younger cock which had several fits one day last summer from which we did not think he could recover. The birds bred here have, so far, never failed in any way, so I hope they will live for many years. If these two last eggs hatch out I shall be obliged to part with a pair as I cannot keep so many. I am delighted at receiving a certificate from the Foreign Bird Club for having been the first to breed these birds in England for thirty years. I hope my success will encourage others to keep these lovely birds, for I am certain they will find them both interesting and amusing. I watch them for ages laughing at the young birds playing with each other, frolicking about much as kittens do. No one could find them either dull or stupid who noticed their quaint ways and provided them with reasonably roomy quarters. * This makes the period of incubation about 24 days in each case.— Ed. t It is not wise to pander to their tastes so, as unboiled milk is most dangerous in hot weather, unless it can be renewed several times daily. — Ed. 63 £be Hir Sacs of Biros. By Ivan D. Murray. In the issue of The Field, of March 2St.lt last, an article under the above heading appeared. To my mind the worst part of the article was- that the matter therein was inconclusive. Suffice it to say that after advancing seven theories in all, the author leaves one in doubt as to which is correct. Briefly the seven theories are : 1st. That the reservoirs of air serve to erect the feathers. 2nd. That they are resonatory organs to increase the strength and timbre of the bird's voice. 3rd. That they have a directly respiratory function. 4th. That they serve to reduce the specific gravity of the body, as a whole. 5U1. That they act like the swim bladders of fishes. 6th. That they are sense organs comparable with aneroids. 7th. That when inflated Ihey serve to fix the wings, when extended, in a horizontal position. And lastly, the " theory mostly favoured of late years," that they serve merely as a mechanical adjunct to the respiratory system. On the top of all these theories, each perfectly feasible to the lay mind, Mr. I). M filler, of the Smithsonian Institution, at Washington, brings forward a theory of his own. His theory is " that neither the air sacs nor air cavities in the bones of birds have special or positive functions of their own," but he regards them "as a series of empty spaces of which the value lies in their very emptiness." He argues that "the ancestral bird adapted itself for flight by divesting itself of all superflous material, ami occupied the body spaces thus obtained with air sacs, and further mobility of the parts was secured by surrounding them with air sacs." Hence we must believe that the connection between the air sacs and the lungs is merely an accident of development, and beyond to a certain extent renewing the air in the windpipe have no physiological significance. Now without dreaming of posting up an argument with so learned a man as Mr. Mfiller, may not these sacs besides being accidental in the first place have at some later date been made to serve as reservoirs. I remember some years ago an old Naturalist, who was my mentor in those young days, telling me that the wind never blew continuously, really, but with slight breaks which allowed the birds to fly. Where he got this theory from I can- not say, but I have noticed over and over again, that no matter how high a wind there is blowing, at any rate near the earth, there are constant pauses, not at any defined periods, but the blasts are not one long continued blast but with breaks between. Now may not these sacs serve as reservoirs in case of need. Before a flight is started the sacs would be filled with air for the purpose of levita- tion. That supply is held there, in reserve, in the same way as the 64 air supply used by persons descending foul mines, etc., is stored. If a long continued blast occurs, wbile tbe bird is flying, the difficulty of filling the lungs then would be very great, whereas sufficient could be drawn from the reservoirs to tide over the gush and the supply could be renewed as soon as the break in the wind occurred. This theory practically embodies Theory No. 3, except that in my suggestion the supply is not in constant use, but is only drawn on in case of need. Mr. Miiller discredits the respirator}' function theory very ably by showing that " at each inspiration the air would give off some of its oxygen in the lungs but not in the air sacs. At the expiration that air from the lungs would pass through the bronchi into the trachea and the air from two air sacs would pass into the lungs and there be deprived of some of its oxygen. At the next inspiration the air in the lungs (poor in oxygen) would be driven back into air sacs. At the next inspiration the air from the air sacs would pass again into the lungs and being poor in oxygen would be ill adapted for respiratory purposes." The process continued would of course result in the air sacs being in time practically deprived of all its oxygen. Now, just for the sake of argument, take it that my theory is feasible. The bird starts off with a good supply of air, both in the lungs and in the air sacs. Circumstances arise which necessitate the bird drawing upon its reserve air. The lungs are filled with an internal inspiration, so to speak, and the expiration, which would necessarily follow, would leave both air sacs and lungs practically empty. Now supposing the air sacs have a physiological function, the following inspiration would fill the air sacs and the lungs with anew supply and the bird is ready to encounter a pro- longed gust of wind or whatever circumstances that might entail its existing for a longer period without an external inspiration than usual. Apart from the reservoir theory however. To my mind the following process might quite reasonably be expected to take place. The first inspira- tion fills the lungs and the air sacs; then follows the expiration. The air passing from the air sacs to the lungs counts as the next inspiration, as I term it an internal inspiration. What naturally follows is an expiration of the air already in the lungs and not as one would he led to suppose from Mr. Miiller's theory, an inspiration leaving both lungs and air sacs ready for a new supply altogether. I may of course be arguing upon a perfectly wrong basis, and the bird may not be able to fill the air sacs ; but if it is able to do this, it seems unnatural that there should be two inspirations to one expiration. I quote at the end of this article, verbatim, Mr. Miiller's theory taken from The Field, of March 28th, from which my line of argu- ment will perhaps be more clear. Now take another discredited theory, No. 4. What is the reason of the curious up and down flights of such birds as the Goldfinch. At the first pulse of the bird's wings, the bird rises, at the top of the pulse the highest 65 Hue of flight is reached, and at the end of the pulse the point readied is- abont on a level with the position before the pnlse commenced. This may of course be, and very likely is, merely the effect of propulsion and similar to the flight of a bullet through the air. But may it not also be that the air sacs are filled for rising, and as the air becomes exhausted the bird drops only to rise again when the air sacs are re-filled. This is of course taking it that the sacs are in constant use. This would embody Theory No. 5, and would also be more or less applicable to my own theory, as the up and down strokes of the flight are far more noticeable, in wind)' weather, in almost all birds. Now how does he argue when he takes the Ostrich, or even the barn door fowl, who do very little in the way of flying. One would expect, believing Mr. Miiller, that as in adapting themselves to flight they put off or lost all superfluous material, so when they give up the practical everyday use of the wings for flight, they would fill their air spaces with something more substantial than air. To poultry keepers this would be a benefit, but facts are facts. The Ostrich may still require to draw upon his reservoirs, if running against a head wind, and the barn door fowl might be called upon to keep running without the chance of an external inspiration. But the empty sacs in " their emptiness " are really of no benefit to them. Will some of the readers of Bird Notes let me have their theories on this matter. Now that the problem of aerial navigation is before the public, main' lessons could I fancy be learnt, in construction, by studying the internal construction of our feathered friends. Mr. Mullet's arguments to disprove the respiratory functions of air sacs from The Field, March 2SU1. " Let us suppose that during inspiration the lungs and air sacs are filled with fresh air; that which reaches the lungs- would then give off a portion of its oxygen, that in the air sacs would not. During the expiration the air from the lungs would be driven out through the bronchi into the trachea, and the air from the sacs would pass into the lungs. There the latter air would be deprived of a portion of its oxygeiu During the next inspiration this air (poor in oxygen) would again pass from the lungs into the air sacs (I say here there are two inspirations to one expiration. — I. M.) During the next inspiration (sic.) the same air would then again fill the lungs, and these would then always contain air poor in oxygen, and therefore ill adapted for respiratory purposes. The writer of the article to The Field adds " Assuming the premises to be correct the argument appears to be conclusive." [We publish the above with some misgivings as to its general acceptance, but the subject is of much interest and further discussion is invited. Kr>.l I cannot believe Nature ever did anything purposelessly or accidentally, let alone gave parts that were of no use or had no function. I believe the air sacs of birds which communicate with the lungs on the one hand, and the interior of most of their bones on the other, have, in conjunction with the lungs and bones, many functions ; the principal of which are respiration, locomotion by diminishing the weight of the body, and, by the 66 position of the air sacs, rendering equlibrium especially during volition more stable, and by increasing the range and power of the voice. The air sacs or sinuses of the elephant's cranium, and the air sacs or sinuses as well as the guttural pouches of the horse have some points in common with the air sacs, etc., viz. by the rarefied air contained in them lightening the bulk of the head. In addition these cells in these mammals aid audition and olfaction. In proof of the air sacs and bones being organs of respiration, respiration takes place through a broken leg bone after the wind pipe has been tied. H.G. Iftotes on tbe MUo Xife of the Buooeruiar. By W. H. Payne. This quaint, but handsome, little bird is one of the most common of all Australian birds. We see it in ever}' part of Australia, from Cape York to Cape Londonderry. Its fecundity is astonishing, while its breeding habits are different to all other birds that ever came under my notice; they will creep into any hole they can find, where they will lay two eggs only at first, then they commence to sit, both taking turns at incubation ; when the two are hatched they will commence to feed the young. This is but a light task, food being very plentiful, for they never start breeding save where the grass is ripe. If you look into the nest, as the writer has done, a week or so after the first two are hatched, you will see one or two eggs with the two young: the old ones sit on them at night ; by the time the first two hatched are strong enough to get outside, the next two are hatched, and so on, until they have as many as four, and sometimes five, pairs ; so you will see by this that one thousand pairs will pro- duce eight thousand young birds. They are so common, you ma}' ride for weeks and drive them up in front of your horse from sunrise until sunset. As already noted they build in holes of the limbs of the white gums, — every one of these trees having all the limbs as hollow as piping, with an outlet at some part or the other. They are seed-eaters and must consume an enormous amount of grass seed. This species is not of much account to the trappers, as they are so low in price, and one of the largest eaters of any bird I am acquainted with. Ceitainly the species could never be 67 extinct, as they live and breed in districts where no white man conld go and make it pay. It was very different away back in the fifties, when the first few pairs fetched ^50 a pair. £be Bu&Qerigar in Captivitv?. By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S., etc. This is intended not as a complete account, but merely a few notes in comparison with the interesting account Mr. Payne gives of its wild life, which is certainly all too brief. A Eulogy: Certainly at the present time, in spite of its being cheap and common, it is a universal favourite. If any species of foreign bird may be called "everybody's bird," most decidedly the Budgerigar merits that title. Again, there are few birds to my mind more beautiful than a well conditioned Budgerigar, and the original stock, viz., the Green variety, I consider more beautiful than the more costly Yellow — man's creation. To be seen at their best they must be in a roomy garden aviary, which allows of herbage of some kind being kept up. In such an enclosure the display is very fine at all times, while to watch them after a shower and note the abandon with which they throw themselves about and roll in the wet herbage, as they thus take their bath is a sight to be remembered for many a long day, and one which the writer often misses since his aviaries have been occupied by rarer, but certainly not to the eye more attractive species. Their Fecundity: In the aviary, as is well known, they use a husk or log in lieu of the hollow limbs of the Eucalypti which are so plentiful in their native haunts. In captivity their fecundity is even greater than when wild, for many pairs in my aviary have reared three or four broods each season consisting of from four to seven, and not by couples as in their native haunts, so that for the progeny of say three pairs to reach fifty in a single season is by no means an extraordinary occurrence. In 1906, two pairs successfully reared thirty-six young to maturity. They retain their wild habits sufficiently to lay another clutch, before the earlier brood has left the nest, and as a consequence many 68 eggs are spoiled, which is not surprising, considering the num- ber of young (usually five) crowded within the precincts of a cocoa-nut husk. Protective Resemblance : This I should say would be very striking when seen in their native haunts. It is sufficiently so, with them in captivity, again and again in my aviary only movement has revealed them among growing grass, rape, etc. If this be the case among the somewhat sparse growth they per- mit to flourish in the aviary, what must it be amid the rank grass of their native wilds ? Diet: Many will say that in Bird Notes this is not neces- sary ; it may not be for the bulk of our members, but correspon- dence proves, that if B.N. is to meet the needs of all, accounts even of common species must be comprehensive. This is very simple : canary seed, white, spray, and small brown millet and oats, with green food and cuttle fish will suffice for them at all periods, when breeding or otherwise. As to green food, they will eat lettuce readily, but what they delight in is grass in flower or grass in the ear, of this they cannot have too much. I do not think they despise insect food when wild, undoubtedly grass seed is their main diet, but judging by the eagerness with which they secure and devour mealworms when confined with insecti- vorous birds I am convinced that many a juicy grub and cater- pillar varies their seed menu. Aviary : Almost any structure will suffice, that supplies the accommodation of an ordinary fowl run. The shed must be draught and wet proof, and the whole so constructed that there is sufficient shelter to prevent the wind blowing right through it. I have found an aviary that is open at front and top only answer best for nearly all species. Cage : This should be of the box type and roomy, say 2£ft. by i£ft. by 3ft. high. I shall hope in a later issue to illus- trate a cage, which answers well for many species besides small parrakeets. 69 B IDisit to tbe little Zoo, Batb. By O. Millsum. A visit to any place that contains foreign birds, is always one to which a true aviculturist looks forward to with feelings of intense delight, and especially if he is an exhibitor of insatiable curiosity. As to the former feelings, one can readily understand them, but to comprehend the latter, one must be an exhibitor and a keen one. Then one can fully fall in with the view that curiosity enters largely into the promised joys. Perhaps a better way would be to define it '; a thirst for knowledge and comparison of one method with another." I mentioned that it was with feelings of curiosity that an exhibitor approaches a collection of birds, more especially if they are rare and choice species. In the first place he goes with the intention of adding another star to his team ; secondly he goes with a view to criticise and coolly calculate what chance his birds would have if they were to meet the strangers on the show bench. Then again, apart from these reasons, the visiting of aviaries, bird-rooms or dealer's collections, affords one an excellent chance of adding to one's knowledge of the many beautiful species that, are included in that all too vague term "Foreign Birds." Each year numerous additions are being made to the list ttiat are brought to this country, and consequently visits made to the various importers are certain to be repaid by the seeing at least of a few specimens new to this country. Then again, one ought never be too old to acquire knowledge, and many, many useful tips may be gained during these visits. It may be in the feeding of his stock, or it may be in the housing, but take my advice, if you visit, keep your eyes open, and should you see anything you don't understand, do not be afraid to ask about it, for its all " Threadneedle Street to an Orange " that he will only be too pleased to give you the fullest particulars, and pleased to think that he has an appreciative listener, or at any rate a hearer who has found something out of the common amongst his collection. Some will say "but some will not part with their little secrets, and would feel offended if one asked for a little iinformation." Nonsense ! the majority of aviculturists are only too pleased to give all the help and advice they can. At least this is my experience. There are a few about, it is true, who are a little churlish, and the best thing when asked to visit their domain, is to follow " Punch's" advice to those about to marry, " Don't." Should your visit be to an importer, you will be interested in the methods of treating the birds, and especially those specimens that you keep yourself, and a chat about the habits of the birds in their native haunts is sure to prove interesting and instructive. Being an ardent aviculturist, the prospects of a visit to Messrs. Payne and Wallace, The Little Zoo, Bath, (at the expressed wish of our worthy editor, who found it inconvenient to make the journey himself just at this 7o time) was eagerly looked forward to. These gentlemen (the Bushmen, as the}' term themselves) make a speciality of importing Australian birds and animals, and they make it a boast that all their stock are caught by them- selves, and not bought second-hand from natives or sailors. In addition to this, I have had many dealings with this firm and can honestly say that better or fairer treatment could not be desired. Should it be possible, I would strongly advise intending purchasers of Australian birds or animals to visit the Little Zoo at Bath. One great drawback to this is that very often one is tempted to speculate more than was originally intended, by being influenced by seeing so many beautiful birds. The first thing that attracts attention upon entering their grounds, Grounds please, not the bird shops usually found as head-quarters of foreign bird importers, is the out-door aviary in which are kept Parrakeets, Doves and Pigeons. This is highly suggestive of the aviary of a private fancier, and is divided into two portions. In the one half are specimens of Australian Doves and Pigeons, comprising the well-known Diamond Dove, Peaceful, Bronze-neck and Tuscan Green-winged Doves; the Plumed, Bronze-winged, Brush Bronze-winged and Crested Pigeons. In the other lialf were Parrakeets, Yellow Collar or Twenty-eights, Many-colours, and White-eared Conures. Alongside this were a few cages apparently just as they had left the ship, containing several small Kangaroos. A few steps away was the admirable structure built expressly for the finches and the more valuable specimens. Entering here the aviculturist is simply amazed. A feast for the eyes worthy of the trouble and expense incurred in travelling a long distance to see them. Leaving aside many comments which ought to be made upon the admirable manner in which these birds are kept, which is far in advance of anything the writer has ever seen upon dealers premises, one is immediately drawn to a cage containing a most perfect specimen of the Pileated or Red-capped Parrakeet {Platycercus spurius) a bird of uncommon beauty. Extremely rare, Mr. Payne informed me, that excepting a pair they brought over with their last year's consignment, which were the first to be brought over to this country, these are, as far as his knowledge goes, the only specimens in Europe. Is it needless to add that there is only one thing that prevented the writer from bringing this bird and its mate back home with him, (price). I herewith give particulars of its beauty as taken from the specimen as I stood in front of its cage. Beautiful rich red cap, violet, or more to the writer's idea of colours, a saxe-blue front, scarlet under vent and thighs, cheeks to back of neck shading from a beautiful grass-green to a rich yellowy-green, back and wings rich reseda-green, rump yellowish-green, flight feathers black tinged with blue, butt of wings blue, bill horn colour, longish upper mandible, feet blackish. A friend who accompanied me suggested that it reminded him of a glorified Gouldian finch. After that one felt they had better turn their attention elsewhere, 7i feeling strongly the need of remembering the commandment " Thou shall not covet," I saw several cages containing several species of Parrakeets, etc., including oue housing a charming collection of Crimson-wings. One could not but be struck with the difference shown between the immature specimens and an adult in the same cage. At first I was inclined to think that this was not the Crimson-wing of the English show bench, but upon Mr. Payne pointing out the adult bird which had escaped our notice, one could readily fall in with the remark that these were young birds. In the latter the Crimson on the wings was very slight compared with that of the full-grown bird, but here is a rare chance for obtaining that desideratum of the alien keeper — excuse the term ye foreign bird lovers — young birds. Beside these was a lovely collection of the Earl of Derby or Stanley Parrakeets, now fairly well known, a description of which I need not give. Then our eyes rested on a cage containing several Red-collared Lorikeets (Tiichoglossus rubritorques) very handsome, resembling very closely the well-known Blue Mountain or Swainson's Lorikeet with the exception of a red baud round the collar, instead of the yellowish-green found on the latter. Their head is blue, chest red, under parts olive-green, band on nape orange-red. Next to attract our attention were some very charming Rock Parrakeets, {Neophema peti ophila) very rare specimens and in most superb condition. Their general colouring is — frontal baud deep indigo blue, no yellow-lores, all upper surface yellowish olive-green, under surface yellow. Then followed the finches, Red and Black-headed Gouldians, in all their glory ; quite the finest collection I have ever seen for condition and health. Masked, Bicheuo, Ruficauda, Long-tail Grass, Pectoralis, Yellow- rumps and Zebra finches. These species are so well-known to every foreign bird enthusiast that they call for no description on my part ; but I certainly cannot pass over the Crimson finches and Painted finches (Emblema picta) without comment. The Crimson, Blood or Fire finches were a charming collection, in the pink of condition and health, real gems, for just as I was taking notes, the sun settled on their cage giving them the effect of little balls of fire. Description : male — Crimson tinged with brown on top of head and wings, a few white spots on sides; female: less red on under .surface. The Painted finch, the pride of Messrs. Payne and Wallace's collection, and rightly so. I may perhaps be permitted to say in support of this, that the}1 have every reason to be proud of getting these rare and beautiful birds over such along and trying journey, in such perfect condition and health. Adult male: general colour — above pale brown, upper tail covert rich scarlet, head brown like back, as also the sides of face and of neck, feathers below eye and fore parts of cheeks scarlet, throat and upper surface of body black, chin and upper throat with scarlet tipped feathers, centre of fore neck and chest also scarlet, sides of breast and abdomen spotted white. 72 The collection also included such birds as the Great Billed Black Cockatoo, (C. mac/orhynchus). We understood that this bird was sold at a very high figure, and that Mr. Payne intended to personally deliver it the following da\'. The Buff Laughing Kingfisher, (Dacelo cervina) ; the Laughing Jackass, Silver}' Crowned Friar Birds, Sacred Kingfishers, Marble Owl, Brown-striped Hawk and Dusky Minah, not forgetting Cockatoos of various species. Very comfortably housed in the same house were Kangaroos of different varieties, apparently very happy in their environment. Leaving, here we were conducted to what appeared to us an exaggerated poultry run, containing some very fine Spotted Emus. All seemed exceedingly tame and very fit. Lying in the grounds were the packing cases which had brought these large birds over, and Mr. Payne pointed out to us how the cases had been enlarged as the birds grew during the journey. He informed us that when they left the depot at Wild Dog Creek, N. W. Australia, they were only the size of ordinary fowls, but as we saw them they stood upwards of five feet high. We could see for ourselves how the cases had been added to in the manner described. It was indeed a pleasure to chat with Mr. Payne on the wild habits of all these species, and the methods adopted for catching and transporting them, and we must confess ourselves greatly indebted to him for the courtesy and trouble taken to make our visit pleasant and interesting. Apart from this one must admit that words fail to adequately describe the generally superb condition of the birds and animals, after such a trying journey of forty days. The consignment, by the way, came via the Cape and reached here on Good Friday, and we saw them on the following Wednesday. After wishing Mr. Payne good-day, we hurried down Lyncombe Hill to catch our train after one of the most enjoyable and instructive afternoon holidays I have ever spent. jEDitorial. THE ASSUMPTION OF SEASONAL PLUMAGE. Many interesting and valuable facts if members would take careful notes, as to the change, that is method, dates, etc., from Winter to Summer or Nuptial plumage. With Weavers, Whydahs, etc., this is brought about by a growth of colour and not by a moult, only a few of the larger wing-feathers being shed. I have had this Spring air annoying loss, arising from some netting becoming loose, and a fine Madagascar Weaver which had endured our weather for six years, got behind same and perished miserably before its predicament was discovered. It was about one-third in colour, that is as to area of change, and I made a careful examination of its plumage; though 73 for a number of years I have closely observed the birds during the seasonal ■change, I was not aware the change was so gradual as the condition of this bird's plumage indicated, for there almost every shade of colour, ranging from pale orange to the full rich scarlet of the perfect nuptial garment ; some of the feathers showing the transition from orange to scarlet. To sum up, the conditions of the whole plumage pointed to the fact that in the change from orange to scarlet, the colour first appears at the bases of the feathers, spreading to the tips and deepening in line at the same time. Not having examined a skin at this stage before I was somewhat surprised, as though my observations had fully vindicated the assertions of other aviculturists as to colour growth, yet such observations had not led me to suspect that the fidl rich scarlet was obtained by a gradual change through orange to scarlet. I should be glad of confirmation or otherwise upon this point and venture to hope that members will record their experiences. If members get any losses during this seasonal change I should be extremely obliged if they would send me the bodies. One other fact may be noted, viz. that after the)' have been twelve months in this country the vagaries of English weather do not affect or delay the change to any appreciable extent; while a newly imported specimen, procured in full colour, promptly goes out of colour if cold weather intervenes, and does not assume nuptial plumage till the following year, this has occurred with me on many occasions; while the awful weather of April has neither retarded nor yet diminished the depth of hue of my Madagascars, which are, April 25th, in almost the full glory of Summer dress. ME LAN I STIC PEKlN ROBINS. Doubtless many will recollect the specimens of this species, which were splashed with black on the breast, quite a largish number were imported so marked, and they were not confined to one dealer. .Several pairs of them being exhibited at either the Crystal Palace or Horticultural Hall, a season or two ago. If I remember rightly both Mr. Finn and myself described them as melanistic. When viewing Mrs. Warren Vernon's fine collections of birds last summer, I admired a very fine pair of Pekins that were flying in her bird-room. She remarked, that is the pair which I exhibited at with black 011 their breasts, they have now moulted out and no trace of black is left. At intervals the following questions have suggested themselves to me. Was the black really abnormal, or are the young at a given age more or less so marked? Perhaps Messrs. Finn or Harper, both of whom are I believe acquainted with this species in their native haunts, or any other of our members who have experience with the species wild, may be able to throw any light upon this point. At any rate one thing is clear, that if abnormal, the colouring was but temporary, at any rate as regards one pair of birds, for after the moult this pair were richly but normally coloured birds. 74 EARLY NESTING NOTES. In spite of the awful cold weather, nesting has commenced. In a letter dated April 14th, our esteemed member, Mr. Teschemaker, informs me he has had nests and eggs from Cirl Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks (first time in captivity I think), and Scaly- fronted Weavers ; these have yielded no result, the two former being evidently disturbed and their fellow captives were removed when too late; the eggs of the Scaly-fronts were infertile owing to the somewhat unfit condition of the male bird. Mr. T. has again succeeded inbreeding Sennits ingoleusis, and it is worth noting that his success again occurs very early in the year, for at above named date he had young out of the nest. None of my Finches have yet nested — in respect to the awful weather of this month I have kept nesting material strictly out of the way. The only ones yet with young being Diamond Doves and Cockateels. A CONSIGNMENT OF RARE INDIAN BIRDS. On Satur- day, May 2nd, I had the privilege of looking over the fine series of birds, just brought over by our esteemed member, Captain Perreau. What with weather, difficulty of keeping up a supply of live insects, etc., many choice avian gems have "departed" during the voyage; nevertheless over a hundred have been safely landed, among which aremany rarities and I only regretted that all the really rare ones were not coming my way. When one has heard all the difficulties of trapping, meating off, the long laud journey to the coast and the voyage over, one is able to understand a little what an achievement and also an endless toil and labour, bringing over such a series really is. Apart from frayed tails, etc., nearly all were looking very fit. I will briefly pass a few of them in review. Br„UE-FRONTKD Redstart {Rulicilla f> ontalis) : It was a revelation to see this dainty creature flitting about, fearless, confiding, while his grace- fulness of form and general deportment must be seen to be appreciated. Briefly, as far as my memory serves me, its plumage is as follows : Fore- head and over the eyes, bright blue; remainder of head, throat and breast, bluish-dusk}- ; wings, blackish ; rump, tail and under-surface, rufous brightest on the rump and under-surface ; bill, black ; legs and feet, brown. About 6in. to 63111. long, and of very elegant build. It is found in the Himalayas and Khasi Hills. PLUMBEOUS Rkdstart {Rulicilla Jitligiuosa) : Equally vivacous and pleasing as the preceding, which in form and deportment it resembles. Mv notes were largely mental and very rough, but the upper surface was slat}-- or dusky-blue, and the under surface and tail very largely of a rufous line. Its tail was a fair example of perpetual motion, and was being opened and shut fan-wise. An exquisitely beautiful bird, though not richly clad. I shall hope to give a fuller description later as one of the three landed I have been fortunate enough to procure. Jerdon calls it the Plumbeous Water Robin. 75 White-capped Redstart (Chcemorromis leucocephala) : This was rather rough in plumage, but still very fit, au. (Xanthoura luxuosa). By Mrs. E. Warren Vernon. I have obtained a grass-green Inca Jay, and as it may be unknown to some of our members, a slight account of him may be interesting, and I hope Mr. Page will supplement this article with correct name, habitat, etc. * It is a lovely bird, with really gorgeous plumage. Front of head, spot over eye, and nape of neck bright cobalt blue ; crown green shot with blue ; sides of head and throat black, relieved with several patches of sheeny purplish-blue ; the blue of the nape iniperceptably merges into the grass-green of the back and upper surface ; the breast and entire under surface is lemon-yellow ; two central tail feathers peacock-blue, the remainder grass-green ; beak black; legs pale green ; eye bright 3Tellow with black iris, which dilates like a parrot's. He is a very lively, vigorous and interesting bird, full of character, most decidedly a knowing bird. His beak is very strong, and he has a curious way of hitting or banging away at his perch with it if you look at him — as if to say he'd do the same to you if he could. His favourite cry is like a policeman's rattle, though he has other curious noises. He really is a delight- ful bird, bold and fearless, never in the same position for many minutes together, vivacious and full of life, and as he looks at you with his wicked or mischievous looking eye, combined with his glorious tropical plumage, he is a handsome fellow indeed, and his grandeur once seen is not readily forgotten. * I have placed correct name at head of article, and I am of the opinion that this species will be known to but few of our members. Mrs. Vernon's interesting: and un- common bird is one of six or seven that have been recently imported, though I am of the opinion that they include at least two species.— Ed. 86 Diet: This consists of mice, dead birds, liver, soft food, and fruit : he prefers grapes to any other kind of fruit. He gets a little raw meat when mice and birds are not to hand. A mouse he cleans out thoroughly till it is turned inside out, and only the dry hide left. Dead birds he always plucks, and consumes the brains first. I have only had him a short time, but he promises to be- come a most interesting bird and beautiful beyond description a little later, his plumage being still a little rough. He is a great bather and also a rather noisy, garrulous and intelligent bird. [Out of the six or seven specimens that have been imported three have found their way to the Zoo; one of these, the first arrival, only lived a few days; about two or three weeks later two other specimens came to hand, which I saw soon after their arrival, when the}' were still a little wild and were not steady enough for extended observation, but I am strongly of the opinion that they are not X. litxuosa but A', peruviana, which has the under surface of a much brighter j-ellow. In the interval between these two arrivals two other specimens came to hand, one being the individual Mrs. Vernon describes, and the other passing into the possession of Mr. W. Cook, who kindly permitted Mr. Goodchild to draw the beautiful and striking plate which illustrates this article. From the little I have seen of the Zoo specimens, the species is certain!)' fully deserving the warm eidogy Mrs. Vernon has bestowed upon her bird. As the species is practically new to English aviculture the following extract from Baird's " Birds of North America" may be of interest. — Ed.] " Kio Grande Jay (Xanthoma litxuosa).— Specific Characters : Wings shorter than " the tail, which is much graduated, the lateral feathers 1.25 inches shorter. Above " green ; beneath yellow, glossed with green ; inside of wings and outer four tail feathers "straw yellow; rest of tail feathers green, glossed with blue. Sides of the head, and " beneath from the bill to the forepart of the breast, velvet black. Crown, nape, and a " short maxilliary stripe running up to the eye and involving the upper eyelid, brilliant "blue; the nostril feathers rather darker; the sides of the forehead white. Bill black ; " feet lead colour. Length 11 inches; wing 4.75 ; tail 5.40; tarsus 1.65. "Hab.— Valley of Kio Grande, of Texas, and Southward. " This species is closely related to Xantlionra peruviana, which however is pure " yellow beneath, has a white patch on the crown, and is, besides, considerably larger. " The .V. guatemalensis, with a somewhat similar crown, has the abdomen yellow." 87 Variation in Birfcs. By F. Finn, B.A., F.Z.S. The subject of variations in birds is of the highest import- ance to all students of the class, but fanciers are almost the only people who can be said to have truly scientific knowledge of the subject— that is, knowledge based on observation and experiment ; for it is by observing and breeding from variations that all results in the Fancy have been obtained. We may divide variations in birds into two classes ; those which may be called spontaneous, and those which are induced by circumstances. The former may be divided into two cate- gories— individual variations, or the difference between one bird and another (such variations forming a continuous series), and abrupt or discontinuous variations, in which the varying indi- vidual presents a wide difference from others of its kinds. Examples of induced variation are familiar to everybody in the colour-fed Canary and those Bullfinches which become black by the use of hemp seed. Spontaneous and natural variation is, of course, familiar to all fanciers, for it is on these that one places the value of show birds. I may instance the Goldfinch as a bird which may vary much individually, whilst in the Sparrow the individual variations are much less perceptible. Examples of abrupt or discontinuous variations may be found iii such variations as the white Blackbird, cinnamon Sparrow, etc. These abrupt colour variations generally fall under three heads, the white, or more or less complete albino, the black type or melanistic, and the pallid type, which may be either grey or cinnamon. Such birds as the yellow Canary and Budgerigar seem to represent the albino forms of green birds, since white Canaries are almost unknown and white Budgerigars completely so. Intermediate variations between the albino and normal form are of course common, being the well-known pied specimens, of which the London Sparrow furnishes numerous examples. It is notable that intermediate forms between cinnamon or grey varieties and the normal type seem very rarely to occur, although the pale or pallid form may be varied with white. Thus, in the 88 little domestic Japanese Weaver- Finch, the Bengalee {Uioloncha acuticauda), may be found a dark-brown and white variety, which is the normal form with the addition of white feathers, and a cinnamon and white, but not a mixture of dark-brown and cinnamon. In a complete albino, the eyes, bill and feet are all devoid of pigment, which results in the eye becoming pink ; and this may happen in the pale or cinnamon variety also; but this is not always the case, for instance, white Jackdaws do not have pink eyes, while white Blackbirds have. Albinism is not always permanent; but the albino, on its moult, may revert to the naturally coloured form. Such a change, however, appears only to occur in specimens in which the beak, feet and eyes retain the natural colour. I have never known a case of such reversion in a pink-eyed bird, or in one which had flesh-coloured bill and feet. A converse change may also take place ; that is to say, a normally-coloured bird may become more or less white, generally on advancing age, which looks as if the phenomenon were analogous to grey hairs in our own species and in domestic animals. It is to be noted that in albino varieties any red colour found in type is pretty certain to be retained ; thus I have seen a. white Goldfinch with the usual red face, and everyone is familiar with the red comb of white fowls, though these almost always have yellow or white legs. The distinction between Buff and Jonque or yellow cage birds is familiar to all fanciers. It is most conspicuous and best known in Canaries, in which the specimens called "yellow" by fanciers are only the bright buttercup coloured ones, while the more numerous pale yellow birds whose feathers are fringed with white, are called "buffs." The distinction is found in green varieties also, and Mr. G. E. Weston has pointed out that it occurs in British Finches generally. I have myself observed it in groups remote from these. Thus the grey-headed Porphyrio, a large blue Moorhen, common in India, is usually decidedly mealy in colour- ation, but a Jonque form of it occurs — if one may apply such a term to a blue bird — in which the mealy edgings of the feathers are absent, so that even the grey head which gives the species its name is not to be seen in such examples. The same thing s9 occurs in the Black Swan, which is never quite black, but in some of which the grey edges to the feathers are much more noticeable than in others. Mealy birds have a fuller covering of feathers and are larger, and thus furnish an explanation of the characteristic aspect of the tropical forms of widely- ranging species. These are smaller and richer in colour than those found in temperate climates, the more fully-feathered though duller- coloured birds being no doubt better fitted to stand the cold, whilst it is the brighter but thinner-plumaged ones which are more at home in a hot climate. It is therefore quite easy to see how local races of this kind may arise. In some cases the two forms are found existing side by side; in others, circumstances favour the almost exclusive production of one or the other variety. The reddish and grey varieties found in Owls possibly are Jonque and meaty types. A peculiar form of induced albinism, and one not to be passed over without notice, is the whitening of the dark legs of our Common British Finches in those specimens that have been in confinement for some time. * It is most remarkable that this should take place, because the legs of the green Canary, although the bird is bred and born in captivity, do not become white, neither do dark-legged Foreign Finches change the colour of these members in captivity. Another familiar phenomenon is the disappearance of the carmine-red colour in the Crossbill, Linnet and Redpoll ; the same thing occurs in the nearly related Rose Finch (Carpodceus erythrinus) and the nearly allied Purple Finch of North America (C '. ptirptueus) which from carmine-red birds moult into brown ones with a touch of old gold in their plumage. A very little known species of the same group — the lavas {Hcematospiza sifrahi) — moults into a bright yellow when in captivity. Examples of melanism in birds are of this induced char- acter in many familiar cases, such as in the Bullfinch and the Skylark, but, of course, poultry and pigeon keepers are familiar with birds which are black from birth, and black forms also • While tliis is so, it is equally tine that with Goldfinches, &c, and also many Foreign birds, the legs and feet are considerably lighter during the breeding-season than they are in the winter or off season. I have not noticed that length of period in captivity interferes with or accentuates this s,',:i