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Bird Notes from the Zoological Gardens.


keep his pets in good condition. As sand, I use that from the

sea-shore, of which there is an abundance on the banks of the

Tagus, close to Lisbon. I add to this cuttle-fish bone (not on sale

anywhere ) from the same source, old mortar and crushed raw

egg-shells. So the little foreign Doves I brought with me from

England still flourish under their changed conditions.


Of green foods, one can get most of our English weeds, in

favour with the birds, though in less abundance; then there is

lettuce and watercress to fall back upon when they are lacking.

So we manage to get on after all.


There is a singular absence of enterprise in this nation.

They prefer to go on in their time-honoured customs undisturbed,

and look upon any improvements or innovations only as an

additional and wholly unnecessary trouble. Indeed they tell me

that if they did get any of them on trial they would only remain

on their hands, as there is no demand for them.


On my first arrival here I had thought what a splendid

opening there is in this city for a really good English corn

chandler. But I think so no longer, seeing that, as I have shown,

they would find no customers. However, there are rare and

interesting species to be found in the bird-shops, notwithstanding

all these “ limitations,” so therewith we must be content.


I trust this very poor contribution to the Magazine, from

an old member, will prove of slight interest to others belonging

to our Society.



BIRD NOTES FROM THE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.


By The Curator.


An interesting collection of birds has been received by

exchange from the Zoological Society of New York, amongst

which are three species new to the collection. These are the

Douglas Quail ( Lophortyx douglasi ) of which there are two pairs,

a species allied to the Californian Quail. It is an extremely

pretty bird of a mottled grey splashed with brick-red, and with a

reddish crest. A pair of Bendire Thrashers ( Toxostoma be?idirei),

brown thrush-like birds with curved bills ; also four Gila Wood¬

peckers ( Centurns uropygialis ), very pretty greyish birds splashed

with yellow, the males having a crimson crown.



