i66 Foreign lairds ai Torquay SJiozu. 



llif wliolc lour were cracked, and I could hear tlie cliicks cliirping distinctly 

 insitlc ; so 1 niadc the man '^o up aj,''ain and fix the nest securely in its 

 ])lace, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing' the old bird making its way 

 u]) to it, not living-, but runninj^ up the rou^h hark of the date like a ladder. 

 A tla\' or two atti-r the nest was (in])t\, and at the hottoni of the tree 1 

 found a fragment of an egg, which 1 have before me now. I was anxious 

 to know how the ])ird would get its young ones down, but I failed to catch 

 it in the act." 



These birds were first received at the " Zoo " with the 

 Prince of Wales' Indian collection. 



The Foreign Birds at Torquay Show. 



By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



The annual show of the Torquay h ur and Feather Society 

 was a great success in all its sections, but the Foreign Bird 

 Section was a unique success, largely due to the energy and 

 enthusiasm of Capt. Cj. E. Rattigan, w^ell-backed by the Coni- 

 inittee. It was under the patronage of The Foreign Bird Club, 

 and the F.B.C. Medal for most points gained by a member of 

 F.B.C. was won by Mr. H. Whitley. The majority of the 

 entries, too, were from members of F.B.C, the principal being' 

 the Marquis of Tavistock, Mrs. Dalton-Burg"ess, Miss O. 

 Blackburn, Mr. H. Whitley and Capt. G. E. Rattigan. 



As it also fell to my lot to place the awards in this section, 

 it may not be out of place here to explain the grounds upon 

 wliich these were based. I considered that any species which 

 were admitted to any given class ought to meet on common 

 ground (i.e. equal terms), viz: condition, but that other thing's 

 being' equal extreme l)eauty and rarity were entitled to a few 

 extra points, and, I placed the cards accordingly — the task 

 taking" over five hours. 



I have to confess to two errors (i) failing' to note that a 

 pair of what T took to be excei)tionally fine Cutthroats were a 

 pair of Red-headed Finch x Cutthroat hybrids. (2) Passing a 

 Cnild-breasted ^^'axl)ill ^ and a .Avadavat as a i~)air of the 

 fcrnier. 1'liis occurred in the last two classes judged, about 

 3 p.m. of a very dull day- two hours later, with lights turned 

 up I took a leisurely walk round the section, and to my huge 



