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which are to be (practically) limited to members of the Society, it seemed to

me that the members might fairly be appealed to to contribute towards the

prize fund. The offending leaflet was sent round with the Magazine just as

any advertisement might have been sent. There has been no reference to

the Show in the Magazine itself, and it has never been brought officially

before the Council.


I am as strongly opposed as it is possible to be to our Society ever hold¬

ing a Show; I am moreover not myself an exhibitor. Still, we must recognise

that our Society is largely supported by exhibitors and I would deprecate a

policy of hostility towards Shows. Shows undoubtedly have their uses, and

even those who most loudly denounce them are often to be seen at Shows

apparently enjoying themselves. I cannot help feeling that some of the

opponents of Showsare actuated chiefly by the idea that Shows are “ vulgar.”

Hitherto our Society has carefully abstained from pronouncing officially for

or against Shows, and I believe that to be a wise policy. I am not sure however

whether it would not be worth while for the Society to interest itself in the

appointment of competent judges, and also occasionally to offer special

prizes to be competed for by members only (the cost of such prizes not to

come out of the general fund). This is a question for the Council to

consider, and I should not urge such a course if there were any general

opposition to it. So far as the discussion in these columns on the “ Ethics

of Exhibiting” can be said to have led to any conclusion, it tended to show

that the general feeling was rather favourable to the practice of exhibiting,

if properly conducted. So long as a thing is not shown to be in itself evil,

it is surely better to try 7 to influence it for good rather than ignore it

altogether.


In conclusion, I may perhaps be allowed to explain that my motive in

organising this Show is to raise funds for the objebt for which it is held,

and not enthusiasm for exhibiting.


Horatio R. Fieemer.



SEEDS FOR FOREIGN FINCHES.


Sir, — Is not the distinction which we draw between British and Foreign

Birds a very artificial one ? and is it not a distinction without a difference

which may incidently lead to very grave errors in treatment ?


The popular notion, encouraged by many writers on foreign birds, is

that while British birds should be fed on a variety of seeds, most of which

are of a more or less oily nature, foreign finches require nothing but

canary and millet seed. I believe that, so far at least as the Fringillidcz are

concerned, this is a mistake.


I have a bird-room aviary 7 devoted to foreign Fringillidce and con¬

taining at present a Half-white Finch, Green and Grey Singing Finches,

a St. Helena Seed - eater, three Alario Finches, Serin Finches, and several

similar birds as to the exact species of which I am doubtful. These I

have for some months been giving, in addition to unlimited canary-seed and

a small quantity daily of white millet and Indian millet, German rape-seed

almost ad lib., linseed occasionally, and a small allowance of hemp-seed nearly

every day. At present this treatment seems to be highly successful, though

of course it has not yet been tried long enough to properly test it.


I do not think that the Ploceidcs will eat oily seeds, nor do I think they

require them or would benefit by 7 them.


Horatio R. Fieemer.



