6g



Bird Notes from the Zoological Garde?is.



Spice Finch ( Munia punctulata') eight years. Still alive.

And some Bengalees for several years.


Of course I am not touching on breeding cages or their

care, but I feel very strongly that if only people would take a

little more time and care over the furnishing of the ordinary cage,

they would be more than repaid by the increased health and

happiness of the birds in their possession.



BIRD NOTES FROM THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.


During the past month some interesting additions to the

collection have been made, of which the following are especially

worth mentioning: —


From the Zoological Society of New York have been

received a collection consisting of four Clapper Rails ( Rallus

lojigirostris), three Blue-winged Teal ( Qtierquedjila discors ), four

Green-winged Teal ( Nettium carolinensis ), two Bahama Tree-

ducks ( De?idroceygna arboreal), two Green-tailed Towliees ( Oreos -

piza chlorurd), one Albert Towliee (Papilo alberti ), two Canyon

Towliees ( P. mesoleucus), four White-crowned Sparrows (. Zono-

trichia leucophrys ) and three Gambel’s Sparrows (Z. gambeli).

This is a particularly interesting collection as all except the last

two species and the Bahama Tree-ducks appear to be new to the

collection.


The Carolina, or Green-winged Teal very closely resembles

our Teal, but the male differs from the European bird in possess¬

ing a distinct white bar on each side of the breast. In the Blue¬

winged Teal, the male is a particularly handsome bird with pale

blue upper wing coverts, and a large crescent-shaped patch of

white in front of the eye.


The Towliees, of which the three species received are all

new to the collection, belong to a group of bunting-like birds of

which there are some twenty species in the North American list.


Besides the two species of Teal above mentioned we have

received by purchase two pairs of the beautiful Cinnamon or

Raffles Teal ( Querquedula cyanoptera). The male is a bright

chestnut red all over, with brilliant blue upper wing coverts,

which are only visible when the wings are extended.



