splendidly, though there was a casualty or two. The\' consisted 

 of five lovel}- Mealey Rosalias and four Yellow Budgerigars 

 from ]\Ir. Kzra's collection, and six Diamond Sparrows, ten 

 Gouldians, two Masked and four Long-tailed Finches (all under 

 the name of Masked), two cocks and one hen Crimson, three 

 Star (I mean Ruficauda, all turned out cocks), four Musky 

 Lorikeets (sold tinder tlie name of Keith's Parrakeets), two 

 pairs of Many-coloured Parrakeets, a pair of Cockatiels and 

 some others to ensure my breeding stock of birds I already had, 

 such as Clierry (and even then I only got one hen) and Chestnut 

 Finches, White Javas, etc., from vScott. A lot that would 

 please anyone. I was almost pleased that we lost our football 

 tie and so did not have to go to Almora to play again. I visited 

 the Lahore dealer as usual and found he had some Budgerigars 

 and a nice cock Many-colour, which he at first pretended he 

 liad got especially for me. I asked hini where was the hen and 

 why he did not get two pairs which is my standing order with 

 him (not that he had ever got anything for Jne yet) and he said 

 the hens were not bright coloured before he saw his mistake, 

 but he wasn't a bit abashed. I took rather a delight in pricing 

 his birds (he had some Pekins too) and telling him I should 

 certainl}' have spent much money with him, had he not forced 

 nie to go Calcutta myself. I came away with some Indian 

 Finches I did not really want. 



How I wished afterwards that I had taken that Many- 

 colour, as on my return I found one dead, also several small 

 birds, though they were just as well looked after in my absence. 

 I should be sorry to own up to the casualties that happened in 

 the next month especially amongst Gouldians and Diamonds. 

 Scott wrote to me later, saying that never again would he 

 import small Australians and I can hardly blame him though he 

 had quick sales. I cleared him out of some species. I am sure 

 the uewl}' imported Australians are " difficult," but that, once 

 really seeded off as one may say, they are as hardy as any other. 



I wrote at once to Lahore about the Many-colour giving 

 three alternatives. I was asked a really absuid price for it 

 delivered up here at once, a pretty stiff one if he promised to 

 keep it for me till he came up my way in about a month, and 



