28



Therefore it seems almost necessary to keep a number of

these birds together, otherwise they become too fat to do any

good, and die either of apoplexy or egg-binding. They are

very greedy birds and if liberally supplied are apt to eat more

than is good for them, especially of millet seed. My experience

teaches me to limit the amount of millet, giving it only three

times a week when there are no young ones to be fed, and not

to be too generous with canary; then, if the birds have sufficient

room for flight, and plenty of grit, and grass pulled up by the

roots, with fresh water, the}’ will keep each other in good con¬

dition if there are several pairs in the aviary.


I think the young ones should always be removed as soon

as they can well feed, as they interfere with subsequent nests,

besides beginning on their own account at too early an age.

Each pair of birds should have two husks or boxes hung up out

of the reach of mice, with a very small entrance hole facing the

light. The birds will enlarge it if it be too small, but I always

found they disliked too large an entrance. My birds never had

sop when feeding young ones, I gave them only white oats.

This feeding seemed to suit them, for they grew into magnificent

birds, as large and bright as any I have seen.



THE CRYSTAL PALACE BIRD SHOW.


The sixteenth annual exhibition of the London and Pro¬

vincial Ornithological Society was held at the Crystal Palace,

from November 5th to 7th last.


In the British and Foreign Sections there was little of

exceptional interest or rarity, and the Show was by 110 means up

to the average of Palace Shows. No tent was provided, the

Show being held in the centre of the Palace, just in front of

the Royal Box ; and several of the delicate foreigners suffered

severely from exposure to draughts, and on the second day more

than one specimen looked as though it had but few hours to

live.


Commencing with the British Section—there were several

nice birds in the Migratory Class, the first and third prizes going

to Mr. C. T. Maxwell’s Blue - headed Wagtail and Blackcap

respectively. The second prize winner was a lovely specimen

of the Black Redstart, exhibited by Mrs. C. Cooper. A nice

Cole-tit was shown, but in a most unsuitable cage, without any

nest-box, which is so essential to these hole-loving birds.


The Mixed Class contained an interesting collection, the

first prize going to a fine Chough, belonging to Mr. W. F.



