24^ Corrcspo)idcncc. 



AX ixTERi<:s'rix(; sihpmext of south African 



BIRDS. 



Sir, — The lean days of ornithology appear to be passing.. 

 Messrs. damage, Ltd., of Holborn, have just secured what is 

 probably the finest collection of South African birds ever 

 brought to England. It covers some fifty species, and numbers 

 about a thousand birds in good to perfect condition. Great 

 care seems to have been taken of them, for the losses in transit 

 were infinitesimal. 



The varieties include \'iolet-Eared, Black-Cheeked, 

 Dufresne's, Ijlue-Breast, and other Waxbills; Queen, White- 

 Winged, Red-Collared, Giant, Paradise, and Pintailed Whydahs; 

 many sorts of Weavers; Cape Canaries, and above all, some 

 lovely Peach-Faced Lovebirds and Meyer's Parrots. There 

 is a cage full of young Peach-Faced, all in in the pink of 

 condition. The Meyer's also are young birds. 



Above all we are glad to note that the prices are in some 

 cases pre-war figures. 



We don't think that so many Violet-Eared Waxbills have 

 ever before been imported in a single batch. No fewer than 42 

 safelv arrived, and they are a glorious sight. The number of 

 Blue-Breasted Waxbills is 120, and there are over 300 perfect 

 St. Helenas. 



We should like to hear that the Zoo had secured samples 

 of each species to redeem its present poor exhibit of birds. 

 As tilings are, the Zoo is a great disappointment to the bird- 

 lover. And surely the general public would rather see a. 

 Violet-Eared Waxbill than a caterpillar or civet-cat. 



L.C.M. 



