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Allen Silver — Lesson's Amazon



since its inception in November last. All kinds of fishes, including

the lovely tropical forms one sees at the Zoo, are to be studied, as

well as other aquatic creatures and water plants. As Mr. Webster

justly remarks, “ later on the question of studying aquatic birds

is sure to arise.”


The new movement is receiving valuable support from the Press

of this country and America. Thus the Editor of the Fishing Gazette

has written a powerful appeal for membership, and the Transatlantic

journal Aquatic Life has devoted three-fourths of a number to a

contribution by Mr. Webster. The new Society intends to publish

Proceedings at regular intervals ; further details will be found

elsewhere in this issue.


Slightly altering the dictum of the Roman sage, the up-to-date

aviculturist may murmur, “ I consider nothing zoological to be foreign

to me.” Briefly, all interested in Cranes, Storks, Herons, Ducks,

Geese, Swans, and Seagulls will find fresh woods and pastures new

in the Proceedings of the London Aquarium Society.



LESSON’S AMAZON


(Chrysotis lilacina)


By Allen Silver, F.Z.S., F.R.H.S.


There are almost as many species of Chrysotis as there are weeks

in the year. I have seen the greater proportion alive, and have

kept or had through my hands many birds of this group; but when

Mr. Rogers, of Liverpool, wrote to me recently saying he had an

Amazon which he had never seen before, alive or dead, I naturally

conjectured it was not a common bird of the trade. I do not suppose

anyone will disagree with me when I say that for a period of forty

years probably no man now living in Great Britain has handled

more Amazon Parrots than Mr. Rogers, and naturally under the

circumstances I was most interested to have and see the bird alive.


The owner kindly loaned it to me for observation, and for the

purpose of getting it figured. When it arrived I at once knew

I had not seen it alive before, resembling as it does C. Salvini,



