7 o 



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, 



