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colour-fed Bullfinch - Lfinnet, at least I believe that to have

been its parentage, it was stained almost beyond recognition.


Class 97 (Albinos). First went to the usual White Black¬

bird, as this is the only true Albino shown it deserved its place,

but to give 1,630 fourth because it had a few white feathers in fit

is quite another story. Next to Sparrows, Blackbirds become

pied more commonly than any other species ; 1,631, a White

Chaffinch, if such it be, ought to have been second, to me the beak

seemed to be too obtuse, and I fancy I detected some Canary

yellow about it; 1,632 was a beautiful Redpoll of a light

chocolate colour all over, and 1,636, second, a nice fawn-coloured

Starling. The class also included a Cinnamon Robin, third ; a

White Sparrow and two Cinnamon Greenfinches.


On first reaching the A.O.V. Class I at once began to

wonder how many anomalies I should find, and truly in this

show the judges seem to have surpassed themselves (if possible).

The first bird I looked at was a Brambling, which was in its

wrong class, but unnoticed, good! 1,643 was a fine Ortolan

Bunting, a thorough migratory bird, getting V.H.C. in the resident

class. Next came three Bramblings, all unnoticed, and I began

to give the judge credit for knowing the habits of one of our

commonest British Birds, when alas ! a few cages further on was a

Brambling getting V.H.C., and the judge’s ignorance was dis¬

played. I was glad to see this year that Grey Wagtails in the

A.O.V. (resident) were noticed, and the second prize bird was a

beauty. This is in any case a move in the right direction, for

last year they were all disqualified.


I11 Class 99 the judging was all right, two birds in the

wrong class being unnoticed.


Ret us now look at the A.O.V. (migratory) : 1,693 was a

very nice 7z<?7z-migratory bird, the Stonechat; it is, of course,,

awarded V.H.C.! ! ! 1,694, a Brambling in its right class gets


V.H.C. The judge evidently forgot he had already noticed it in

the non-migratory class. How can a bird be a resident and a

migrant at the same time ? An answer will oblige ! ! 1,695 was a


Swallow in very bad condition, but it is, or rather has been, a

Swallow, and that is sufficient to give it V.H.C.!! ! 1,698, a


Grey Wagtail in its wrong class takes V.H.C., but the judge

rightly considers it a resident bird, how then can it be a migrant?

Will someone enlighten me ? The judge must (?) be right! ! ! !

The rest of the class was chiefly composed of Redstarts, some of

very high merit, a fine Wheatear, two or three Ring Ouzels, and

a very fine Red-backed Shrike. The first prize bird, a Redstart,



