on the Rev. B. HemswortKs collection.



103



In No. XI. a splendid pair of the rare Rock Peplars, the best I

ever saw.


,, XII. a beautiful pair of breeding Pennants of gorgeous

colour.


,, XIII. a grand pair of Port Lincolns.


,, XIV. a grand pair of New Zealand Parrakeets.


,, XV. a beautiful pair of Blue Bonnets.


,, XVI. a true pair of White Jackdaws.


,, XVII. a lot of Doves, Cowbirds, etc.


,, XVIII. a beautiful hen Barraband, whose mate is dead.


Walking back across the park about a mile, we come to

the heated aviary. Here the birds are arranged in big cages.

In the first is a splendid Talking Eclectus : his neighbours are

Hanging Ceylonese Parrakeets, New Zealanders, and a lot of

small fry. If you don’t look out you will have your hat torn off

by one of the many Macaws hanging on swings from the rafters.

The rarest of these is a splendid pair of the Green Military

Macaw.


Next we notice a splendid pair of Sliamas, an Indian Tree

Pie, and a gorgeous Long-tailed Glossy Starling. In a cage on

the floor are a Tricolour Amazon, a Cuban Amazon and a Red-

fronted Amazon. A Blue Barbet catches the eye: Bare-eyed

Cockatoos, Nasicals, a grand pair of Salmoncrests, and two

lovely Leadbeaters. In a large cage is a host of little birds,

such as Parrot Finches, Whydalis, Nonpareils, Indigoes, a Yellow¬

breasted Robin, and a host of others. The noise is, to put it

mildly, trying to the nerves; and the heat reminds one of

Central Africa, so I do not linger long.


In the private room of the manager, Mr. J. Levitt, is a

splendid pair of talking Grey Parrots, true cock and hen. They

can sing like almost any bird I ever heard.


I have enumerated a lot of birds : it would be difficult

to name a bird that is not at Monk Frystou. All are in the

pink of condition and reflect high credit on “Johnny.” Johnny

tells me plaintively sometimes that his life is but “ labour and

sorrow,” and that he does not know what “ rest ” means. I do



