37



for those brilliant Pekins exhibited at the Palace are usually, probably

always, colour-fed birds. As I have already inferred, there were other birds

in this class well worthy of a fourth prize. Mr. Castellan’s Parson Finch,

v.h.c., was in excellent trim, and a pair of Java Sparrows belonging to Mr.

Steele were as tight as drums. The latter gentleman exhibited a good

pair of Chestnut Finches, but one of the birds was a little out of sorts.

According to the cages these latter had been awarded v.li.c., but the

catalogue was of a different opinion. A cock Red-headed Gouldian Finch,

and two Orange Weavers, made up what was quite a nice little class.

Forgive me, I am forgetting : for Mr. Steele likewise exhibited a good-

looking pair of Ribbon Finches, which were commended. Class 87, for

larger Foreign Birds, had only four entries. Mr. Stevens came first with a

Lesser Hill Mynah, and Mr. Steele followed close behind, 2nd, 3rd, and v.li.c.,

with a Green Cardinal, a Red-crested Cardinal, and a Common, or Indian,

Mynah. All were thoroughly good birds, so far as I could see, or rather had

been, for the 1st prize winner was looking none the better for the Show.


With Class 88, for any variety of Parrot or Parrakeet, I must bring my

remarks to a close. Let me be charitable, and suppose that I had visited

the Show too early in the day, and before the cages had been arranged, for

it took me a long time to make either head or tail of it. According to the

catalogue there should have been five entries :—No. 1, not named, third ;

No. 2, Parrakeet, h.c. ; No. 3, Budgerigar, v.h.c. ; No. 4, Ornamented

Lorikeets, first; No. 5, Green Parrot, second. The Budgerigar was not

visible (I found it subsequently in another place) ; and, if it had not been for

the Lorikeets, I should have failed to identify the class, for the four

cages were skied, and all the labels on the tops and out of sight. I mourned

over the Lorikeets; all their spirits had evaporated since I had seen them

at the Aquarium, and one looked “poorly.” Doubtless it is a fine thing to

carry off first prizes : I can quite understand the feeling; but birds of this

kind cannot stand knocking about with impunity, and, when lost, often

cannot be replaced for years and years. The other birds in the class were

all right, I dare say, but I am not a Giraffe. A Grey Parrot presumably was

No. 1 ; a Ring Neck seemed to fit into place No. 2 ; Mr. Castellan’s Bud¬

gerigar, found afterwards, was a good bird; No. 4 was represented by Mr.

Betts’ Lorikeets, which, as I have already said, took the first prize; and No.

5 seemed to be a nice hen Green Conure (Conurus pavua.j



BRITISH BIRDS WE HAVE KEPT.


I.


THH GREY WAGTAIL.


By Thomas Marshati,.


The Grey Wagtail (Motacillaboarula,) is a bird that is less often seen in

captivity than its brethren, the Yellow and Pied species, this is probably due

to its being much more rare than either, and to its retiring disposition.


Its favourite haunts are in the neighbourhood of inland streams and

lakes, by the sides of which it builds its nest, and has generally two broods

in the season, of four to six, and occasionally seven, young ones. The nest

is composed of grasses and leaves somewhat loosety put together, and lined

with wool or hair. The eggs are bluish white in colour, and are marked with

small grey specks and larger brown spots all over.


Its food consists of such insects as abound in the moist places which

it frequents, water flies and their larvae, and the smaller aquatic mollusca.


The Grey Wagtail is partially migratory, travelling northward as

the weather gets warmer, and returning south again in the autumn.

Unlike the other members of the same family it is solitary in its habits, more

than a single pair being seldom seen together.


In plumage the sexes resemble each other very much, the difference

being more apparent in the breeding season when the brighter yellow of the

under parts (which justifies another scientific name ( M. Sulpkurea,) being



