some grasstinches and other Gambian birds.



59



Crystal Palace Show, where, in a good class, he won a first, perhaps

luckily, as he beat a Lagonosticta niveoguttata and two Melba finches

Pytelia afra and melba. In the following November I sold him and

the other survivor well, the show bird still in perfect condition,

though the other, my notes say, was 11 bald on the head and rough

round the neck, but very lively.” In 1906 I brought home six

more, bought at different times from various catchers; three of

these I gave away at once (one pair to the Zoo., where they lived

at least a year), while of the remaining three, two lived in the aviary

at Brighton till 1908 and 1909 respectively, and one of these was

never brought indoors at all the whole of one winter. This year I

have ten, all in practically peifect fettle. I have never had results

anything like this with ordinary firefinches and never expect to, at

any rate while my accommodation is limited to a small and usually

crowded out-door aviary and indoor cages.


Again, I have never lost one of these birds immediately after

catching, though this fact does not mean very much as an indication

of hardiness or the opposite, for most of the small African seed-

eaters appear to be ready-made cage-birds. One can catch a couple

of dozen in the morning, put them in a cage and see them settle

down at once and be feeding and even bathing within a few hours.

One really is quite surprised if one does die. For example, this

year I got some 50 to 60 firefinches (common and others), cordons,

etc. during April and May ; the whole lot survived to reach home—-

not a death from the trap to arrival, and (more wonderful still) not

one up to date, a fortnight after landing, either among those turned

into the aviary or those still indoors. I have never been so fortunate

before. Tbe casualties which have been nil or insignificant in Africa

and on the voyage, usually commence as soon as rail and cab trans¬

port is necessary and continue after the destination is reached.

These little birds can apparently stand any amount of land travelling

(head-porterage) in Africa and even the turmoils of the sea-voyage,

but English railways and their porters, combined with the change to

the delights of an English July, are often more than they can stand

and prove too much for a good few.


This year there was just one condition of travel differing

from what is usually the case on my journeys home with birds, and



