23



de trop, lie succumbed : since then I have not repeated the ex¬

periment, which I found decidedly expensive. Garrulous Honey-

eaters must have a cage to themselves, and a roomy one. To

anyone who has the chance of obtaining specimens of these

rare birds, I say buy them, as more amusing and interesting

birds it would be difficult to obtain.



THE LONDON & PROVINCIAL ORNITHOLOGICAL

SOCIETY’S EXHIBITION.


Held at the Aquarium, London, October i^th —29 th, 1896.


By Reginald Phieeipps.


This Society is to be congratulated on their capital Show,

which was held at the Aquarium on the last Tuesday, Wednesday,

and Thursday of October, at least a capital Show as regards the

foreign birds, and probably of the Canaries, &c., likewise. I

would first remark that if this Society can have a good Bird Show

in the middle of the week, thus avoiding much Sunday labour,

it should not be quite impossible for other Societies to do the

same. It is a real misfortune that the use of some better lighted

place than the Aquarium cannot be obtained ; it is hardly corredt

to say that the light is bad ; rather it is that some parts are dark

with hardly a trace of light. For instance, I looked carefully

into one cage (922) in search of a bird ; after a while, I detected

a darker shade in one spot ; on referring to the catalogue, I

found that a pair was mentioned ; after another diligent search,

I did detedt another shade ; but whether the catalogue was right

in saying that they were a pair of Combasous I do not know.

This kind of thing makes a visit to a Show a rather tedious

matter. I am right glad to be able to say that the incomplete

feet so common at the Palace of recent years were wholly absent

so far as I was able to see—for happily some of the cages were

more open and in better positions than was No. 922. I visited the

Show on the Tuesday morning before the catalogues were out,

and again on the Wednesday afternoon for a brief while—to

obtain a catalogue in fadt. A few birds, by the way, were in

wrong classes, but of this no notice seems to have been taken

the judges were very amiable and lenient.


Quite the bird of the Show to my thinking was Mr.

Humphrys’ Black - throated Grakle (897—V.H.C.), from the

Philippine Islands, at least so says the catalogue, but Graculipica

nigricollis comes from “ China to Cochin China, Burinah, and

Tenasserim.” This fine fellow, on finding himself in such good

company, was passing the time on Tuesday morning uttering



