242 From Magazines, &c. [2nd April 



The Avicultural Magazine.— The. December number contains 

 a plate delineated in colours by Mr. Norman B. Roberts of the 

 White-throated Thickhead (Pachycephala gutturalis). This is 

 accompanied by notes from Mr. D. Seth-Smith, who considers 

 that " there is no reason why the handsome Thickheads should 

 not be kept " in captivity. Airs. Johnstone contributes an article 

 on the breeding of the Rock Pebbler Parrakeet (Polytelis melanura 

 in which, after noting that tine birds set about nesting in a very 

 quiet way, and that the young remained a good deal longer in 

 the nest than the Barnards or Rosellas, she says that "the hen, 

 though a good nester and sitter, was not an energetic mother ; 

 the cock totally ignored the entire family." 

 * * * 



ACCORDING to the Avicultural Magazine (January, 1904 , at 

 the December Show-Bird at the Crystal Palace, amongst the 

 Parrakeets a fine pair of Varied Lorikeets {Ptilosclera versicolor) 

 obtained first place, the second prize going to a good pair of 



Kings" (Aprosmictus cyanopygius). A Red-collared Lorikeet 

 (Trichoglossus rubritorquis) and a Black-tailed Parrakeet {Poly- 

 telis melanura) were also exhibited ; while in the " Hybrids 

 Class " the only birds worthy of note were a beautiful pair of 

 crossbreds between the Rosella (Platycercus eximius) and the 

 Red-backed Parrakeet (Psephotus hannatonotus). These interest- 

 ing birds, it is stated, showed more of the characteristics of the 

 latter parent. In Grass-Finches, &c, Class, the following 

 Australian species were exhibited, viz. : — Black-ringed Finch 

 1 ' Stictoptera annulosa), Red-tailed or Red-faced Finch (Bdthilda 

 rufveaudd), Long-tailed Finch {Poephila acuticauda), Masked 

 Finch (P. pcrsonata), Gouldian Finch {P. gouldia?), and Crimson 

 Finch (Neochmia phaeton). 



* * * 



A Sympathetic Emu. — Among the feathered pets at Cawarral 

 station, near Tungamull, on the Emu Park railway, is an Emu. 

 Taken there as a chick some years ago, it has grown up to be a 

 fine big stately bird, which holds its own among the denizens of 

 the station yards. When the drought was at its worst, the 

 vicissitudes to which birds and beasts with all their senses were 

 exposed were very trying, and those of an old blind horse were 

 extreme. How the Emu came to discover its pitiable condition 

 is a mystery, but it did so, and acted towards it in a most obliging 

 and charitable fashion. There was only one little hole on a 

 wide area of country where the horse could get water, and for 

 weeks while the drought continued the Emu led it there as its 

 necessities demanded. It also guided the steed about the bush, 

 warning it in intelligible language of fallen trees, and other 

 dangers in its path. The Emu kept its companion from starving 

 by guiding it to where some feed was to be had. An informant 

 saw the horse unwittingly approaching a bushman's tent, where- 

 upon the Emu called out, and made such " an 'ell of a row " 



