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heart, Violet, Indian Green-winged, Aurita, Turtle, Half-collared

Turtle, Barbary Turtle, Blue-headed Turtle, and two kinds sent

me just lately from Africa whose names I am not sure of.



A TRIP TO AUSTRALIA.


By George Cakrick.


A short sketch of a trip to Australia and back with, I

might say, the birds of all nations, would make a most interest¬

ing paper, if in the hands of one who could do justice to the

many little episodes met with. We left the Mersey last December,

with a very varied stock, including most of our British Finches

and a few soft-bills (among the latter a Yellow Wagtail, ist in its

class at the November Aquarium Show), Siberian Bullfinches

and Goldfinches—Bishops, Whydahs, Nonpareils, Cardinals,

Amazons, Macaws and Grey Parrots, and a few prize poultry,

Pigeons and Canaries, and one Diana Monkey ; supplementing

the collection at Madeira with a few Goldfinches, Mules, Conures,

and Peach-faced Love-birds. But the most interesting addition,

and one worthy of particular note, came on board of its own

sweet will, in the shape of a common Nightingale. I say

partiatlar note, because of our position at the time, viz., Lat.

39°03 S., Long. 26°46 F.—306 miles from the nearest land and

almost due South of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Needless to

say he was immediately captured and caged, and with a plentiful

supply of mealworms he was soon quite at home and seemed

most thankful for the little kindness shown him, taking readily

to artificial food. He became very steady in a few days, and

ultimately shared the same home with the Yellow Wagtail in

Melbourne. I may here mention that I have visited Mr. Archie

Campbell, author of “ Birds of Australia,” who invariably looks

me up on arrival, and is always delighted with a view of my

collection of “the Old Country” birds. British birds stand the

variable changes of climate on the outward journey exceedingly

well; the same might be said of most of my outward stock,

with the exception of Grey Parrots. When we call at the

Canary Islands I always purchase my Greys there, and they

generally live well ; last voyage I purchased thirty-five at Las

Palmas and lost only one bird. When instead we call at Madeira,

where Greys are only to be purchased in units and always at high

prices, I procure them in Liverpool before leaving home, at

least, I have done so three times now, and each time with

disastrous results. The first time 30 Greys—30 deaths ; second



