Corre.spo7idence. 



Correspondence. 



61 



THE BLACK SEED-FINCH 



8iu.— Amoii" lec-L'iit airivals I c;ime across this interesting species. 



Luer, of East Street. Walworth, has a few examples of the Black Seed- 

 Finch (Mflopiirrlin //njni . two of which T bought. These little ("uban birds 



resemble minature 

 Bullfinches with a 

 good conduct stripe 

 on their " arms "' of 

 white. Their man- 

 ners, however, are 

 those of a Waxbill. 

 The male of the 

 Thick-l)illed Seed 

 Finch, although 

 nuich bigger and 

 with a much larger 

 bill, resembles the 

 cock of this species 

 a little. The fe- 

 male however of 

 the Black Seed- 

 Finch is almost i- 

 dentical with the 

 male, whereas as 

 you no don!)t know 

 the female of the 

 Thick-billed Finch 

 is ;mi olivaceous 

 bird very unlike the 

 male. 



The birds re- 

 semble the (Phdni- 

 pariiiae) in manner- 

 lihicl' l-'niiUij lent hij KilUnv iif ( \i mt ri/ <(■ CiKje li'inl Li/r. isnis and are rightly 



included in that group not having the uprijjht carriage of a SpfniKipJula. 



ALLEN SILVER. 



BIRD PROTECTION VAGARIES. 



Sir. — In consequence of a recent judical interpretation of the Acts 

 relating to Wild Birds, the possession, sale, and purchase of such birds 

 legally and lawfully taken elsewhere is in danger of becoming prohibited in 

 the County of London. The Bye-Law in question was intended for the 

 protection of birds in that district, and not to prevent citizens possessing 

 legitimately acquired property, in the shape of birds caught in other districts 

 and sold to them. On this account the N.B.B. and M. Club deputed a small 

 body to approach the S.P.B. and ll.S.P.C.A. with a view to getting these Acts 



