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omniscient young prig; as I had to ask where they were, like

Rosa Dartle, “ simply for the sake of information.” I found on

consulting a map that the Andaman Islands are in the Bay of

Bengal, not far from the Nicobar group, whence, I suppose come

the Nicobar Pigeons.


Andaman Starlings are, I believe, exceedingly rare.

Beside my own pair, I have only seen one other; an aged cock

in the possession of our member for York, Mr. W. E. Stevens.

As, therefore, the majority of the Avicultural Society will be no

wiser for the name, I will briefly describe the birds.


The Andaman Starling is a particularly graceful and natty

bird with greenish black wings and tail, a brownish dash on the

rump, a snowy waistcoat and head ; yellow beak, blue at the

base ; yellow understandings, and ‘ pearl ’ eyes. It would be

difficult to imagine a more striking bird, and visitors always

admire them immensely. The lieu may be distinguished from the

cock by her slightly grayer back and more slender and

feminine build. I know of no other distinction.


Andamans are very tame and friendly birds, and by no

means afraid of us humans. Mine will come within a yard of me

at any time, and give their peculiar call note.


I one day received a letter from a dealer offering me a pair

of Andaman Starlings, and telling me to look alive if I wanted

them. Members of the Society who know me in the past will

have no difficulty in guessing my answer; and a few days later

the Andamans were ‘ at home’ at Micklefield Vicarage. For the

time, as the weather was bad, I put them into an indoor aviary

in the birdroom, and they soon made themselves happy. They

have two great weaknesses—tubbing and cockroaches. They

are always ready to apply water to their outer man and black

clocks to their inner. Fortunately I can gratify the latter

craving, as our kitchen fairly lifts with cockroaches.


We find them here, we find them there,


We find these beetles everywhere.


to parody an obituary notice often appearing in the “ Yorkshire

Post.”


With the advent of warmer weather I enlarged the

Andamans into a big garden aviary, in company with a pair

of Turquoisines. In the inner aviary there were three logs

intended for Parrakeet breeding. No. i was taken possession of

by the Turquoisines, No. 2 by the Andamans, as also No. 3 at a

later period. That my readers may understand the situation

fully, I may say in passing that the neighbours on one side were



