105



THE CR V STAL PALACE BIRD SHOW.


Some Notes by D. Seth-Smith


The recent exhibition at the Crystal Palace was certainly

not up to the average, either in the number or quality of the

exhibits ; at least, so far as foreign birds were concerned, and I

could only find one bird that was an absolute novelty, and of

which I cannot remember to have seen the like before at a show.

This bird perhaps the rarest in the exhibition, was a specimen

of Stictopterci annulosa , of which more hereafter.


The reason for this show being inferior to many of its

predecessors, was probably to be accounted for b\^ the fact that

the weather was exceptionally severe, and several would-be

exhibitors who had entered specimens, at the last moment wisely

decided to keep their birds at home.


Amongst the Weavers and Whydahs, the most note¬

worthy exhibits were two Crimson-banded Whydahs (. Penthetria

ardens ). In the class for Waxbills, there was a nice hen Pytelia

afrci, several Rufous-tailed finches (JBathilda ruficauda) and a

pair of the charming, though not altogether trustworthy,

Crimson Finches {Neochmia phaeton).


There was a fine pair of Tri-coloured Parrot-finches and

three specimens of the ordinary Parrot-finch, a good Pintail

Nonpareil, and several Gouldian-finches, one pair of which

were remarkably fine birds. The long-tailed Grassfinch

(.Poephila acuticaudo ) is a bud that appears to be becoming a

great favourite with aviculturists, and indeed, it well deserves to

be, as it is a most delightful and beautiful species, and one,

moreover, that freely reproduces its kind in captivity. Several

pairs were exhibited and I imagine most were aviary-bred. One

pair of Masked Grassfinches (P. personated) were shewn, but

there was not a single specimen of the closely allied White¬

eared finch (JP. leucotis). The latter appears to be comparatively

hardy, but I think the Masked must be considered one of the

most fragile of the Grassfinches, at least, I have found it so.


Some nice examples of the Double-banded or Bicheno’s

finch ( Stictoptera bichenovii) were well worth notice, and the

closely allied Black-rumped finch (S. annulosa ) shewn by Mr. L,.

W. Hawkins was, so far as I am aware, the first specimen of this

species that has been exhibited in this country; but it so closely

resembles A. bichenovii , that it is quite possible that it may have

passed as such on former occasions. Another bird of much



