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yellow, except the flights, which have the feathers almost black, giving the

appearance of a black saddle when at rest. They have the same dash as

newly-imported Weavers, and no doubt this was the cause of their death,

through being hurt in their wild career. The cock put me in mind of the

Queen of Bavaria Parrakeet, illustrated in Dr. Greene’s “Parrots in

Captivity,” — of course in colouring only.


Now about a pair of birds which came with some Aurora Finches or

Crimson-wing Waxbills. I had three, one died. They were sent as female

Aurora Finches, but are totally unlike them in every way. About as large

as an Avadavat and of similar shape, but not nearly so long in the tail, in

fadt, with a very stumpy tail. The bill is like red wax, eye-ball black, iris nut-

brown ; legs and feet, grey; head and frontlet, black; back, wings, and upper

tail coverts, blackish; breast, chestnut with greyish-white bars straight across

from under wing coverts, from breast to abdomen, and thence to under tail

coverts gradually the colors and markings tone down till tliej'- loose them¬

selves in an ashy-grey. The deepest color is on the sides just under the

wings. They are a true pair, I am sure, as the cock sings an inaudible song

and struts about so as to show his superiority. One peculiarity is that they

have never perched, either in a cage or in the room where they have

moulted and been, now close on two years. The one I take for a hen is not

quite so bright in color, but in every other respect exactly like the cock.


W. OSBABDESTON.



THF SLENDER-BILL COCKATOO AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.


Sir,—I do not pretend to be “infallible; ” nevertheless, my friendly

■critic, Mr. Septimus Perkins, seems to infer, and wish one to believe, that

the Slender-bill, Licmetis tenuirostris , is not a Cockatoo. Then if not, pray

what is it ? Are we to call Cockatoos Parrots, and vice versa ?


If the Slender-bill is not a representative of the Cockatoo tribe, our

worthjr authorities who have written so much on avicultural subjects have

made a gross error. Not long ago, my collection contained no less than

eleven different kinds of the Cockatoo family, and after having kept these

-species for upwards of 20 years, I fail to see my way to include the Slender-

bill under any other category than amongst the Cockatoos.


In my opinion the only possible class to which the Slender - bill

Cockatoo could be admitted, was 130; granting at the same time that the

bird cannot lay claim to possessing much of a crest, such as adorns many

■of the other Cockatoos; nevertheless, he is evidently proud of what

nature has granted to him, which is a rounded white crest in miniature, the

feathers at the base being rosy or orange-tinted, thus giving him a claim to

associate with others eligible to compete in the above class.


With regard to the Macaws, the Palace authorities have for some

years past seen reason for discontinuing a class for these birds, owing to

insufficient support from exhibitors. When the Costal Palace Schedule

has been perfected, we shall probably have fewer complaints. The one who

has the responsibility of adjudicating upon the Parrot classes has, hitherto,

done his duty to the satisfaction of many ; but to please eveiyoue would be

imposssible. Quot homines tot sententicc. H. T. T. Camps.



[If we understand Mr. Perkins correctly, what he complains of is that

while both Macaws and Cockatoos are Parrots in the wider meaning of the



