26



Finches, mostly Red-faced, and mostly a poor lot. TheGonetian

Finch (928A) seemed to be a Black-faced Gouldian. The class

of Waxbills, &c., produced several nice specimens of the ordinary

kinds, but nothing rare ; the Cordon Bleus in pairs made a

pretty show, Mr. Maxwell’s (872—first) particularly attracting

my attention.


Of all the members of the Parrot family present, my heart

went out most warmly towards a good pair of Musky Rorikeets,

Glossopsittacus concinnus (845—second) ; although usually classed

among the Trichoglossi, they differ from them in their habits and

in other respedts ; and dearly as I love the latter I love the

Musks yet mere. Although not angels (nice birds and persons

never are), they are not such blood-thirsty demons as are the

Trichoglossi , with whom I do not class the Scaly-breast, which

is different again ; they have very charming little ways when

flying free in bird-room and aviary—all these birds are wasted

when kept in a cage. In some respedts they are rather delicate

little things ; several came over last spring ; it was then stated

that they had not been seen in this country for twenty years ; I

have never before seen one at a Show. An Australian colonist

cold me recently that the Musks are not kept in confinement in

Australia as they always die in fits ; I noticed the other day

that the female at the Zoological Gardens (a pair was obtained in

the spring) had disappeared. Now the Many-coloured Parrakeet

is common, and very easily kept in health and condition ; and

yet at this Show one of the latter was placed first—over the head

of the Musks.


On the Tuesday morning, the Musks were looking bright

and well, but on the Wednesday afternoon they were very, very sad

and down ; how different from the pair who greeted me so glee¬

fully on my return home, and asked so prettily for their supper !

Their nervous system is too highly strung to stand safely the

roughing and excitement of a Show. The only other Rorikeets

were an Ornamented (851—ex. third), which well deserved the

notice taken of it, and a Swainson’s Rorilceet (832) which, treated

as a (Blue Mountain) Rory, was given a third although in the

wrong class. So much for a popular name : but the judges

should have been made of sterner stuff. There was not a Rory

in the building ; but why “ Rorey ” and “ Roreys ? ” The word

is from the Malay Rurf, so Rury, sometimes used, is the better

word. The Brotogerys genus, quite one of my favourites, was

represented by one solitary bird (852D.), an Orange-flank look¬

ing very lumpy. One Red-backed Parrakeet (843—V.H.C.) and

one Many-coloured (850—first) were present; on the Tuesday morn-



