106 ^y Indian Consignment. 



After writing this article, or a large part of it, in the 

 rough, I have been shown our esteemed Editor's most ilat- 

 tering introduction. J think this is a good place in which 

 to thank him not only for this but for the way in which 

 he has given time ^nd trouble to help me in making ar- 

 rangements for me on arrival in London and in helping with 

 the birds and correspondence, I do not know how I sjiould 

 have got on without his assistance and that of my wife. 



L had meant to open with a brief history of my collec- 

 tion, but I lind that it is by no means brief, and with our 

 energetic Editor almost literally at my elbow as a reminder 

 that I promised that this should be in at least two days ago, 

 1 had better start with the three birds which are figured in 

 this issue. After that the Editor can take as much of the 

 "history" as he thinks our members can stand at one dose. 

 I would have preferred to write when I had jnore leisure, 

 but needs must when the Editor drives— and is close at 

 hand— and has done so much for one, 



]VJr. Goodchild has caught the character of each bird 

 in a wonderful way. To my mind the Ixulus takes a lot 

 of beating but then so does the Wren -Babbler; the more so, 

 perhaps, as it has no such distinctive feature as has the Ixulus 

 in its crest; and then again the Pigmy Woodpecker is what 

 the bird is — a pigmy woodpecker. 



1. The Himalayan Pigmy Woodpecker {Ii/ngipicus 

 pygmaeus) is a delightful little bird in the cage. I have never 

 seen it wild, so can say nothing about it in that state. Our 

 member, Mr. Appleby, of Lahore, kindly got it for me and 

 gave it me with many others as I passed through. The ligure 

 renders description unnecessary as it is not a "bird of colour 

 (browns and white). Its minute size (only 5^ inches), tame- 

 uess, and quaint ways give this bird its charm. 



It is very destructive to woodwoi'k, and on the voyage 

 had to be changed from one eompaitment to another everj 

 thr(!e or four days. It is very ht and in splendid feather, 

 apparently doing very well on a good strong insect mixture 

 with a few mealworms, of which it is very fond. I gather 

 from Blandford that it is a bird of the foothills from Kliat- 

 mandu to Mussoorie. The cock has a shoit narrow stripe of 



