45 



(not "Variety") of Sparrow? Tlie plumage of the 

 Sparrow is beaiuiful, if of sober colours, and we should 

 see what some of our exhibitors could do with these 

 familiar ])irds. 



Class 117. Mig}atory (16), Showed us another 

 fine team from Mr. Maxwell's bird room, ist went to 

 his old champion Wryneck, paler in colour than we 

 have seen him ; must have been run very closely by 

 1668, same exhibitor, one of the finest Redstarts one 

 could wish to see. 1677, Hepwood, 3rd, a Spotted 

 Flycatcher, which well deserved its position. This 

 bird, like some other of the insect-eating birds in this 

 class, and in Class 116, was looking for more insect 

 matter in his food, 1678, Rothwell, 4th, a nice 

 Nightingale; no chance to be higher in such com- 

 petition. 1680, J. Brown, V.H.C., a good Fieldfare, 

 but with a broken tail. 1681, same owner, V.H.C., a 

 fine Redwing in perfect feather, but a little wild. 

 1675, Howe, H.C., a well-staged Blackcap outclassed 

 in this company. Where is the old Crystal Palace 

 class for these and Nightingales ? 1673, Howe, a 

 perfect Waxwing in the finest possible condition, 

 passed without a card. This class, with Classes 115 

 and 116, afforded material for a day's stud}^ but the 

 gregarious instincts of the many friends one meets 

 only at the annual re-union at the Palace rendered this 

 impossible to anyone who was at all well-known, 

 especially under the conditions of lighting in the new 

 locale, which, while they were all that could be wished 

 for during the day, rendered some of the birds in- 

 visible after the electric light was switclied on. 



