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The hen is not often obtainable in London, but the Zoological Gardens

at Antwerp sometimes have specimens to dispose of. I never succeeded in

securing a female Indigo-finch myself, therefore am not in a position to

give you any very definite information, but doubtless some of our members

have been more fortunate.


A. G. Butter.



THE SPELLING OF THE NAME “ BENGALESE.”


Mr. Wiener and Mr. Gedney, and, I believe, all of what may

be called the “earlier school” of avicultural writers, wrote “ Bengalese,”

both for singular and plural. Dr. Butler writes “Bengalee” for the

singular and “ Bengalees ” for the plural, and Dr. Simpson (in his interesting

article on this species in a recent number of a weekly contemporary), uses

“ Bengalee ” for the singular and “ Bengalese ” for the plural.


Now, with all respedt, I venture to differ from my friends, and prefer

the original spelling, for the following reasons : (i) Bengalese is a perfectly

legitimate form, analogous to “Maltese” and “Japanese,” and there is,

therefore, no reason for the change. (2) Bengali would be more correct

than Bengalee, but either requires to be pronounced with the accent on the

second syllable (Bengawly)—and surely it is not proposed to alter the

pronunciation as well as the spelling ?


The whole point is a very small one, and perhaps I ought to apologise

for calling attention to such minutiae. Of course the name itself, whatever

spelling or pronunciation be adopted, is absurdly inappropriate to the little

artificial product of the ingenious Japanese, which has no association

whatever with Bengal. Horatio R. Fieemer.



DETERMINING THE SEX OF PARROT FINCHES.


Sir, —I believe that most aviculturists who have studied this very

beautiful species are agreed that it is in most cases difficult, in many cases

impossible, to determine the sex with certainty, by a simple inspection.

This being so, I think a judge is hardly justified in disqualifying two birds

because he suspects that both birds are of the same sex. Unless he can

decide the point with tolerable certainty it is fairer to give the exhibitor the

benefit of the doubt, which he may nevertheless feel.


Dr. Butler thinks the two birds which won the first prize were both

cocks, and that Mr. Osbaldeston’s pair should “have taken preference.” I

do not think he quite grasps the situation. If I could have been

certain that Mr. Smith’s birds were both cocks, it would have been my

duty to disqualify them : but, if I could not be certain, I was bound to admit

them to competition, and having admitted them, to judge them on their

merits.


Referring to the birds which Dr. Butler says were “an undoubted pair,”

I beg leave to differ from him. A pair they may have been ; an “ undoubted ”

pair they were not, for one of the birds was in immature plumage, and neither

Dr. Butler nor any one else could by simple inspection have formed an

opinion of much value as to whether it would eventually turn out to be a

cock or a hen. By-the-bye, in his recently-published and admirable work,

“ Foreign Finches in Captivity,” Dr. Butler (while quoting another author

on this subjedt) sums up his own opinion in the words “sexes alike:’’


C. S. Simpson.



