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of a cage could not suppress the buffoonery of Miss Nutt's White-backed

Piping Crow, who kept on shouting out “ Who are you? ” at the very top

of his piping voice, occasionally varying the proceedings with “ What

d’vou want ? ” He seemed intensely disgusted at the attention paid to a

near neighbour, Mr. Camps’ Great Salmon-crested Cockatoo, whose talking

powers and friendly wavs had attracted round him the little group I have

already referred to. He seemed a very jolly bird, and had been awarded a

second ; but I could not see him well owing to the little crowd, which seemed

to be composed, mostly if not entirely, of Aquarium stall-holders, and the

truant catalogue seller, who, after the manner of his kind, was amusing

himself at the expense of his masters. The sight of a catalogue in my

hand created a little sensation among the genuine visitors to the Show.

“ Where did you get your catalogue, sir ?” and I had to refer them to the

Salmon-crest, who really had a great deal to say for himself.


On running my eye over the catalogue, I noticed I had somehow

passed a .Stanley Parrakeet; retracing my steps, expecting to find “the

only Stanley,” I found in its place a very ordinary Rosella, and felt

aggrieved accordingly. Rut I recovered on finding that a White Jackdaw,

exhibited as a British albino, had been “wrong-classed.” It is comforting

to find that the judges are at last waking up to the fadt that these White

Jackdaws are neither British nor albinos. I hope the Palace judges next

February will pluck up courage, in this and some other matters, and do

their duty. I have been told that judges are afraid of driving away exhibits

if they do their duty : they certainly offend people now, but would probably

offend fewer if they were firmer.


Another Aviculturist, Mr. Castellan, exhibited some nice little birds,

and his Violet Tanager was worthy of more than a fourth. I am not fond

of criticising other people, but I must say I think Foreign and British bird

judges should give more credit than the}' usually do, to birds which are

more or less difficult to feed, to keep in health, or to keep in plumage.

However, I must admit that, when I saw this Tanager, the light was so bad

that its upper parts looked nearly any colour but the right one. A Rock

Pepler, exhibited by Mr. Zaclie, seemed tumbling all to pieces ; a few weeks

before the Show. I had seen this bird looking well, and since I have seen it

looking well ; but at the Aquarium it was miserable: so much for the Bird

Shows, and their effects on the birds.


I must conclude my brief account of this Show by adding that there

was really a very fair number of birds, British and Foreign, many of

excellentquality, but little that was rare, excepting the Oruainented Lorikeets.

The Rock Pepler was but seldom seen in this country during many years,

but latterly several have been imported. I must not omit mention of Mr.

Camps’ “ Fiji Islander: ” this individual bird has so often been to the front,

that I was nearly forgetting how very seldom specimens are to be seen in

our little island. Mr. Camps also is an Aviculturist.


(To be continued.)


(Our next number will contain Mr. Phillipps’ account of the London Cage Bird

Association’s Show.)



CORRESPONDENCE.



THE SEX OF PARROTS.


Sir,—I should be glad if any member of the Avicultural Society

would answer these two questions :


Have they observed that female Parrots pluck themselves more often

than males ?


Do female Parrots ever attempt to feed their owners or those they are

fond of? I do not know that I can recollect any case of a Parrot, 1 knew to



