8 4



Mr. Frohawk’s beautiful plate renders a detailed descrip¬

tion of the plumage unnecessary: the distinction between the

sexes is not such as could be represented in an illustration,

though I could always easily recognise the female by the slightly

narrower skull and the generally more effeminate (I can think of

no better word) appearance.


Until the last two or three years, the Ornamented Uorikeet

was a very rare bird indeed, but a considerable number were

imported in 1895, an d since then they have been comparatively

common.



CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW, 1897.


BRITISH BIRDS (OMITTING CLASSES 92-95 & 99.)


By J. Lewis Bonhote.


The Palace Show this year cannot be said to differ much

from its predecessors. In the actual number of exhibits there

was a slight falling off, but the quality was quite up to the usual

standard. The pick of the show, as far as British Birds are con¬

cerned, was a Long-tailed Tit, exhibited by Mr. Fulljames. It

was a nice bird in good trim, and anyone who has kept, or

attempted to keep, British Birds knows the difficulty that has to

be overcome with such birds ; it ought undoubtedly to have taken

first. Again let me protest, as I did last year, against distinctive

marks on the cages, such as instructions for feeding (in one or

two cases with initials), or a peculiar printed label stating the

name of the bird. I do not wish to imply for a moment that

these marks are placed there for any but legitimate purposes ;

but all exhibitors must realise that it opens a high road to

collusion between judge and exhibitor. Another point was that

the hall was kept at rather too high a temperature ; this may be

hard to regulate, but it ought to be possible; as it was, at least

one bird succumbed to the effects, while several others had to be

removed.


The judging, as usual, presented the customary formalities

and freaks. Looking at the awards, one would be apt to

imagine that the judge did not know what the typical Linnet or

Siskin was like. However, let us take the classes in order and

examine the facts, which are stubborn things and more stable than

their opinions. The Bullfinches were a large class and contained

many birds of high merit. There was the usual sprinkling of

small foreigners, most of which were rightly ignored ; 1,368,

1st, was a splendid specimen, good in every way and well worth

its place; 1,344, 2n was a nice sized bird, but had no colour,



