247 



and one Goldfiucli-Greenfiiich ; aud lost iu the moult 

 ten Linnet-Greenfinches, and a Goldfinch-Greenfinch. 

 E. D. Nicholas Mayer. 



FOREIGN BIRDS AT THE ZOO. 



Once at least, every summer, I try to pay a visit to 

 the Zoological Gardens, to see the Society's collection of 

 foreign birds. This year, circumstances and our climate 

 dela^-ed my trip until the middle of vSeptember, and then 

 fine weather and a free afternoon (an extremely rare com- 

 bination this summer by the way), enabled me to fulfil 

 my intention. It struck me that a few short notes, on the 

 species at present in tlie Gardens, would prove of interest 

 to those of our members who reside at a distance from 

 our Empire Cit}' : therefore it is for them that this 

 article is chiefly written. 



My first call was at the Parrot House. Before 

 proceeding, I ought perhaps to explain that practically all 

 the caged foreign birds are kept iu the Parrot House, 

 hence my preference in point of call. The Fsittaci, 

 however, are no favourites of mine, so if 3'ou, gentle 

 reader, hoped to hear something of them, I am afraid you 

 will be disappointed. To my mind one Parrot equals 

 one squall, and as there are some two hundred in the 

 house, each trying to out-squall the other, the clamour 

 they create is beyond the power of words to express. 



Well, the first birds I noticed were four Gouldian 

 Finches — one Red-headed and three Black-headed. One of 

 the latter appeared unwell — indeed none looked very 

 bright, which is hardly to be wondered at, considering 

 they were all in a cage about one foot cubic measure. In 

 the next cage was a Long-tailed and a Banded Grassfinch, 

 both in good condition. Two Bicheno's were in the 

 next, at least so the card said. As there was only one, 

 however, the deduction was obvious. A lonely little hen 

 Zebra Finch, someWhite-throated Finches, and a Chipping 

 Sparrow, were iu the next three compartments ; the 

 latter hails from North America. Then followed a Red- 



