103



class begins with three Great Spotted Woodpeckers, very badly

judged. No. 2018 (2nd), was very wild and should have been

V. H. C. No. 2019 (V. H. C.) a nice bird, might very well have

been 4th. No. 2020, the best, should undoubtedly have been 2nd,

but perhaps the Judge was beginning to weary, and no wonder.

H. C. was a moderately nice Ring Ouzel. 1st and 3rd were two

nice Missel Thrushes, the 1st bird being a monster and in such

condition !


Class 10S (Blackcap and Nightingale). The best bird in

this class was 2024 (2nd), a Blackcap. The 1st prize went to a

rather small Nightingale, and the 3rd prize to another Nightin¬

gale with the same fault. Three more Blackcaps completed the

class.


Class 109 (A. O. V. Insectivorous, Migratory). Mr. Maxwell

takes 1st, 3rd, and 4th, and H. C. in this class with Wryneck,

Black Redstart, Yellow Wagtail, and Blue-headed Wagtail

respectively, the Black Redstart being a most splendid bird,

although they were all good and splendidly kept. The only

other species were a Redwing and a Crested Tit, the latter

rightly disqualified.


Class no (A. O. V. Seed-eating, Migratory). The 3rd prize

was given to a Tree Sparrow, which ought to have been wrong

classed ; an Ortolan takes 2nd ; a Lapland Bunting, a beautiful

specimen but wild, 4th ; and a nice Snow Bunting takes the

honours.



BREEDING GOULDIAN FINCHES.


By W. C. Douglas.


A short account of my experience in breeding these

pretty little birds may be of interest to some of the members of

the Society.


Two years ago I purchased some Gouldians of both

varieties, Blackheads and Redheads, and now have about twenty-

five including four young birds.


I keep them in a room 14ft. long by 8ft. wide by 11ft.

high, in the centre of which I have erected a small sycamore

tree; and at the end facing the light I have hung some cocoa-

nut husks and a breeding cage ; and an ordinary dome cage

stands on a table.


Many times my hopes of breeding these birds have been

raised by the making of nests and the laj’ing of eggs, and

sitting by the various pairs of birds; but when the Autumn



