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are incomprehensible ; did not its owner know that the bird was a Rosella ?

Could she not see that there was a class for Rosellas ? The first prize went

to a good Patagonian Conure, exhibited by Mr. Rose. I have seen several

of these birds during the last year or two, and they seem to be easily kept,

and much inclined to be tame and familiar. The second prize went to

Mr. Babb, for a bird which was labelled “Red Shining Parrakeet ” but

catalogued as a “Tubeun.” But Pyrrhulopsis tabue?isis is distinct from

P. splendens ; and I am not sufficiently acquainted with these rare birds to

sav positively which one this was; or even, as I could not see a blue nape-

band, whether it were not a specimen of a still rarer variety. It is in cases

like this and the Lory that the amateur “ Reporter ” is placed at such a

disadvantage. I should like to have taken the cage down, so that I m ight

examine the creature ; but did not like to do so, with a burly policeman

close by and watching me as if he thought it were about time he did

something to justify his raison d'etre. I am sorry I was such a suspicious-

looking character. I feel inclined, indeed, to think that the bird was the

Tabuan (not Tubeun, please), not the Red Shining Parrakeet. It was very

rough in feather. Mr. Smith's Red Rump and Messrs. Bottomley’s Many-

coloured were awarded equal thirds. The Red Rump, so common some

years back, is now not often seen. The class likewise contained a Masked

Parrakeet, a relation of the Tabuan, and also hailing from the Fiji Islands:

squatting on the bottom of its cage, it swayed its body to and fro like a bear

at the Zoo ; but even with this it could not get more out of the hard-hearted

judge than a V.H.C. ; there were also a V.H.C Barraband, two Pennants, a

Barnard, a Bauer, a Yellow-nape, and a Green Conure, all seemingly nice

birds ; but I could not do more than glance at them. In the next class, for the

same in pairs, Mrs. Palmour’s now well-known pair of Brotogeryspyrrhopterus

came first. They are, I suppose, exceedingly rare. It is a pity that the family

name of Trichoglossus should have been attached to them, lam told by the

N.H.M. authorities : much wisdom is no excuse for want of care ; and coming

from wise heads, the statement is all the more calculated to cause confusion.

It would be interesting to know on what authority Mrs. Palmour states that

these two birds came from the Sandwich Islands. My experience with the

Brotogerys family teaches me that they feel the cold when the thermometer

falls below 45 degrees, and these birds were looking none the better for their

journey; let us hope that they reached their home safely. A very nice

pair of Quakers took the second prize. Two pairs of Cockatiels (why

Cockateals ?) and a pair of Jendayas made up the class.



SHORT-TAILED PARROTS AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.


By C. S. Simpson.


Under this heading are included six classes (Nos. 123—128). Curiously

enough, the class for Lovebirds comes in an altogether different part of the

catalogue; but since Lovebirds are parrots and have short tails, it is a

logical conclusion that their proper place is among the short-tailed parrots.

Furthermore, it is the time-honoured custom at the Palace that the Macaws

should find a refuge among these classes. Now it requires a considerable

stretch of imagination to call a Macaw a Short-tailed Parrot.


Class 123, (Grey Parrots) contained three good birds, two of which

belonged to members of the Avicultural Society. A good class of Grey

Parrots is always very popular, and it is a pity that greater inducements are

not offered to the owners of these valuable birds: a class with two prizes (of

10/- and 5/-) can hardly be expedted to attract a large number of entries.


CLASS 124, (Amazon Parrots, any variety). The word “variety” is used

throughout the catalogue whenever “species” is meant; but a variety and

a species are two different things.


First prize in this class went to Mr. C. Martin’s Green-cheeked

Amazon ( Chrysatis viridigenalis ), a remarkably fine specimen of a rare species.

The popular name of this bird is not very appropriate : as the red cap is a

far more striking feature of the plumage than the green cheeks. The

second prize fell to a bird which was catalogued as a Yellow-fronted Amazon,



