Foreign Birds.



153



head, and if a bird exhibits abnormal plumage in one part of the

plumage, it is just as likely to do so in another. Crosses between

two other British Birds numbered seventeen, they include hybrids

of the following kinds:—Goldfinch-Siskin, ditto-Redpoll, ditto-

Greenfinch, Siskin-Greenfinch, Linnet-Greenfinch, Redpoll-

Greenfinch, Bramble-Chaffinch. Beautifully variegated, evenly-

marked and perfectly clear (i.e. free from dark feathers) hybrids

between the Canary and other Finches were to be seen. A

remarkable feature being clear birds from Goldfinch, Linnet and

Greenfinch with the Canary. Large classes of brilliantly'' coloured

Dark {i.e. birds with no light feathers in their plumage) were also

to be seen.


The immaculate condition, tameness and healthy appear¬

ance ot first-rate examples of birds exhibited alive in such a

manner, that the public can get a good grasp of their appearance,

is a hobby which bears good fruit and is also of value to the

scientist.


Colour-feeding is not now practised to that extent in which

birds are entirely disfigured, it being more the custom now to

use it in such a way that lost yellows are regained ; moreover

birds are in no way harmed constitutionally by the sweet, so-

called tasteless peppers now in use. Curiously enough, Bramble

Finches show a marked partiality for this kind of food, and one

example, a great prize-winner (still hale and hearty, that has

travelled all over the British Isles) is no less than twelve years

old, as far as we know, and was not a chicken when captured.

Mr. Dewar of Scotland, Mr. Swaysland of Brighton, Mr. Weston

of London, and myself, were selected to adjudicate upon the

birds competing in our respective classes.



II. FOREIGN BIRDS.


By D. Seth-Smith.


In the Bird Show held by the “ London and Provincial

Ornithological Society,” from February 3rd to 7th, foreign birds

were not so well represented as at the recent show at the Horti¬

cultural Hall (see page 75). The space in the centre transept

opposite the organ was curtained off and specially warmed for

the occasion, but in spite of this the place was very draughty and



