128 



season, gives a good indication of the resemblance of the adult hybrid to 

 its parents. The hybrid lacks the bronze wing patches of the Bronze 

 Mannikin and also the fawn side patches of the Magpie Mannikin, in other 

 respects the resemblance is about equal and in size it is about midway 

 between the two species. 



Mr. Millsum records a rather interesting occurrence : a Silky Cow- 

 bird has laid an egg in a Canaries' nest, it is being incubated and I am 

 awaiting, with much interest, to learn if Mr Millsum succeeds in hand 

 rearing the youngster — the egg is fertile. This I believe to be the first 

 instance in which this species has given direct evidence of its parasitical 

 habits in an English aviary. 



NESTING OF BLACK-HEADED SIBIAI Recently having the 



privilege of looking over Mrs. Warren Vernon's collection of Foreign birds, 

 an account of which I must leave to a later issue, I was much interested to 

 learn that the Sibias were incubating and almost due to hatch: no close 

 examination was made for fear of disturbing the birds, and the nest being 

 in a dark corner a photograph was impossible. A finer or more vigorous 

 pair of birds I never saw, and there seems every probability that the young 

 will be successfully reared. As they have not previously been bred in this 

 country it appears very probable that this distinction will fall to the lot of 

 our esteemed member. 



THE CLUB'S CERTIFICATES". Certificates have been granted 

 to Mr. W. E. Teschemaker for breeding the Cirl Bunting (E. cirlus), the 

 Dwarf Ground Dove {ChamcTpelia griseola), and the Cinnamon Tree 

 Sparrow {Passer cinnamomeus), for the first time in this country. 



THE ZOO COLLECTION OF AUSTRALASIAN BIRDS: 



The birds, though coming to hand in good condition are not as represen- 

 tative a series as one might have hoped for, and also many of them are not 

 vet in fully mature plumage. The collection consists of the following 

 among others : — 



Garrulous Honeyeaters Queen Alexandra Parrakeets 



Blue-faced ,, „ Swainson's Lorikeets 



Warty-faced „ ,, Yellow-collared ,, 



Spiny-cheeked ,, ,, Banksiau Cockatoos 



New Holland ,, ,, Kea Parrots 



Yellow-chinned ,, Satin Bower Birds 



Spine-billed ,, ,, Spotted ,, 



Blue Wrens Black and White Fantails 



Parrot Finches White Goshawks 



Fire-tailed „ Musk Duck 



Butcher Bird Apteryx 



Oriole Peaceful Doves 



Cuckoo Shrike Bronze-winged Pigeons 



