117 



beauty; the rich hues of their pluniag-e, however, appeared to be very 

 largely due to light refraction. Readers are referred to Mr. Goodchild's 

 drawing and notes in this issue. 



AVOCBtS '. Quite an interesting if not unique event is the 

 nesting (in the Waders' Aviary) of a pair of Avocets, which are engaged iu 

 incubation, with every appearance of successfully hatching out. 



The Night Parrot: one of the most interesting of recent 

 additions to the Zoo. collection is a Night-Parrot, which has been deposited 

 by the Hon. Walter Rothschild. It is distinguished by three names, viz : 

 Kakapoo, Owl-Parrot, and Night-Parrot, Stringops habiopiilus. It has not 

 been represented at the Zoo. Gardens since 1875, it was on view in 1870 for 

 the first time. It is nocturnal iu its habits, coming out after dusk to seek 

 its food, which consists of fruit, seeds, grass etc. Its plumage is brown, 

 much mottled with green, and while thus protected by its resemblance to 

 its surroundings, it is incapable of flight, and promises soon to become 

 extinct before the onward march of civilization. 



Rare Birds : From the current issue of the Avicidiiiral 

 Magazine we learn that Mr. Walter Goodfellow has just arrived with 

 one of the most remarkable collections of birds ever brought to this 

 country. These are now hou.sed in Mrs. Johnstone's aviaries at Groom- 

 bridge and consist of Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Selucides alba \ Red 

 Bird of Paradise, Paradisea rubra \ King Bird of Paradise, Cicinnurtts 

 regtus, several pairs of which have been successfully imported, the females 

 have never before reached this country alive; tlie Great Black Cockatoo, 

 Mtcroglossa aierrinius. The series also includes some rare Ivories and I,ori- 

 keets, among which Eos fuscaia, E. cyanogenys and E. iemilawaia probably 

 reach this country for the first time as living specimens. 



An Improved Insectivorous Food : Messrs. Trower 



and Co. have sent me a sample of their "Improved Cecto," a high- 

 class food, at the low price of i/- per pound ; its principal ingredients being 

 ants' cocoons, dried flies, and preserved yolk of egg, all of good quality. 

 For those of our readers who still use ^%% in their food mixtures, this is one 

 of the best preparations on the market. Messrs. Trower put it up both with 

 and without &^%. Without e%% it is a wholesome food, and can be used 

 with confidence for all classes of insectivorous birds. 



IRevicws. 



Birds I Have Known. By Arthur H. Beavan. Cr. Svo., cloth, 

 cheap edition 2/-. Fisher Unwift, 1907. 



The opening paragraph of this book runs a.s 



follows : — 



" I have always loved bird-s, and am told that, in ages past, 



