Editorial. 205 



successfully Parrakeets, Partridge and other game birds, etc. 



Recently Crown Partridges were imported, but many 

 died owing to the cold climate. 



African birds are very rare in Japan, but Australian and 

 Indian are, at times, freely imported. 



In Japan insectivorous birds a' e kept by a special paste, 

 ;onsisting of ; bean and rice powder, dried fresh water fish, and 

 rice bran. Firstly : green salad mashed, then add the moistened 

 powder. The quantity of fish powder is regulated by the 

 species of birds it is required for. 



Mr. Takano also sent your Editor a copy of the " most 

 ancient avicultural book in Japan," Yobnko-dori, " which was 

 published in 17 10 by So-sei-do — to add to his collection of 

 avicultural books." We hope, when a translation has been 

 secured, to summarise it in Bird Notes. 



We shall be grateful if Mr. Takano will send us detailed 

 accounts of Japanese successes in breeding birds in captivity; 

 also Field Notes of their native birds, with photos if possible. 



A Rare Dove: Our member Mr. H. E. Bright is to be 

 congratulated on the possession of a pair of Phlogocnas mar- 

 garitac. which we believe to be new to aviculture (sec page i8() 

 ill this issue). When visiting Mr. Brig"ht last month it was 

 difificult to get a close or long enough view, so that we were 

 unable to place them, but the richness of their colouration 

 caused us to assume them to be Fruit-Pigeons. However, we 

 made a rough sketch, and later sent this to the Curator of the 

 Birdroom, British Museum, and they believe them to be as 

 above. This shows them to be a near relative of the Bleeding- 

 heart Pigeon (P. luzonica) from which, however, they differ 

 entirely in deportment and colouration, and to which we have 

 given the trivial name of White-breasted Pigeon or Dove. The 

 l^'leeding-heart Pigeon spends, in captivity, most of its time upon 

 the ground; the White-breasted is more aboreal and during two 

 rlavs we did not see it upon the ground at all. The general 

 colouration is rich vinous-cinnamon, refulgent with a ])urplish 

 sheen; upper eye-streak, lower eye region, whole of the throat 

 and breast white, narrowly margined with black; the whole of 

 their appearance being very handsome and gorgeously beautiful. 

 Tlipy have successfully nested, and two fine young birds are 



