176



longisli, thick at the end and slightly curved ; colour, greenish brown

above; head dark ; light grey below, with a dark bar running down sides

and crossing abdomen behind legs.


I should say that No. 2 was insectivorous, from its Tit-like move¬

ments. Chas. Cushny.



After receiving Mr. Cushny's letter , I wrote for more information , to which he

replied on May 6th. The following answer was then sent to him :


I am afraid your descriptions are not exact enough for the identi¬

fication of the birds.


No. 1 was probably a Bunting or Lark, judging from the reddish-

brown cheeks ; but I do not remember any Passerine British bird with a

dark bar down the back ; it sounds more characteristic of a young

Gallinaceous bird.


No. 2 may, I think, have been a Tree-Creeper; its constant

activity and nervousness seem characteristic of that bird ; but, in your first

description, you mention a yellowish patch on head, in addition to the

stripe over eye, which is perplexing.


The description of the bird seen on May 4th is more puzzling, if

possible, than the others. I know of no small British bird in which the

abdomen, behind the legs, is crossed by a dark bar.


Descriptions of birds seen in the woods, or during a country ramble,

are never satisfactory. A bird constantly on the move in bright sunshine

may seem to be marked with bars hicli, perhaps, are merely strong

shadows of twigs, cast upon the bird’s body by the sun. Sunlight also

greatly alters the apparent colouring of a bird; changing browns to

glistening gold, or white to buff; it intensifies reds and greens in a

marvellous manner.


When descriptions of birds are sent to cabinet ornithologists, their

reply is : “Send vis the birds and we will name them for you,” and I think

they are wise. A. G. BUTXER.



PENNANT’S PARRAKEET WITH ABNORMAL PLUMAGE.


(Extract from a letter from Signora Baldelli:)


“I have a Pennant’s Parrakeet that, instead of having a red breast, is

all speckled with blue. Is it a freak of nature ? Can it be a hybrid ? Or is

it a distinct species ? ”


The following answer has been sent to Signora Baldelli.


In Gould’s ‘ Handbook to the Birds of Australia,’ Vol. II. p.p. 45 and

46, the author states, respecting Pennant’s Parrakeets, that — “The colour¬

ing of the sexes when fully adult is alike, but much variation exists

between youth and maturity; during the first autumn the young birds are

clothed in a plumage of a nearly uniform green ; to this succeeds a parti¬

coloured livery of scarlet, blue and green, which colouring is continually



