208 Obituary.



Diamond Sparrow. • However, to come back to my Finches ; the

is the description :


Head, back of head and throat light silver-grey, shading

along the throat towards the abdomen from a dark grey to a sooty-

black. Wings and back dark brown ; the two outer tail feathers

sooty-black ; the three next ones sooty-black one side only, edged

with old gold, the two middle tail feathers edged on both sides with

very bright old gold. Vent feathers sooty-black, tail coverts a

beautiful bright old gold, almost yellow. Bill and feet dark leaden-

grey. Underside of wing very light grey, shading down under wing

to light fawn. Size of bird 3| in. from tip of bill to tip of tail

feathers, measurement round body, taken over wings, 2f in. The eyes

are coal-black. The hen just like the male, except that the grey is

more ashen, not so silvery.f


This reminds me to mention some new Quail I received from

the same source, quite distinct from any I have had or seen. The

colour is absolutely ash-grey, the male bird only showing the fine

pencilling of the feathers usual in the plumage of Quail; the size is

a trifle larger than the King-Quail.



OBITUARY.


Perreau .—We very greatly regret that the war has claimed

another of our members as a victim. Major G. A. Perreau has

been killed. There was no one more enthusiastic and painstaking

in aviculture. On more than one occasion he brought from India

many insectiverous birds rarely seen in captivity, and which he had

himself caught in the hills, some species being new to aviculture

We can ill afford to lose one who was not only a keen aviculturist,

contributing to our Magazine from time to time, but who also

impressed those who knew him with the courtesy of his manner

and the diffidence with which he imparted his knowledge of the

Indian birds that he so delighted in.


* [This sounds like something worth having.— Ed.]

f Apparently Munia caniceps. —A. G. B.



