Aviculture at the Manchester Zoological Gardens. 93


brownish-grey, heavily striated on back and breast with a darker

shade of the same colour. They are now, at five months old,

beginning to show the colour areas of their parents. In 1914 I

reared a rather handsome hybrid from one of my hens, by an

English Greenfinch Cock, and exhibited it successfully at the London

Cage-Bird Show. I obtained my two pairs from four different

sources, and always under the name of Sikhim Siskins, and until

recently had always thought that these and the Himalayan were one

species. This spring Mr. Tescheinaker, who lias bred S. tibetana

freely for the last two seasons, asked me to exchange a pair of young

birds with him, which of course I was pleased to do. On the arrival

of his birds I at once noticed the difference, and on looking up

‘ Bird Notes ’ I found that both varieties were described in the

volume for 1914. There appears to be nearly an inch difference in

size, S. spinoides being the larger ; this bird also lias a yellow rump,

which S. tibetana has not. The female of the latter species is also

described as being more or less striated with brown, whereas the

female of S. spinoides only differs from the male by being paler in

colour. The young Siskins were very much darker than the Himalayan

youngsters, the hen especially showing very little yellow as compared

with the cock. Both species are very desirable aviary birds.



AVICULTURE AT THE MANCHESTER ZOO¬

LOGICAL GARDENS, BELLE VUE.


By Graham Renshaw, M.D., F.R.S.E.


In these days of empty aviaries and restricted importation the

newly decorated flying-cage in the Manchester Zoological Gardens is

of exceptional interest.


This aviary, which has been in existence for many years, is

situated in an ante-room of the Lion House; it has long sheltered a

series of Doves, Weavers, Budgerigars, and various other birds.

There is ample flying space; a service passage at the hack gives

access to the interior; there are large seed-boxes for food, and water

is supplied by two stone fountains. The perching accommodation



