i8



White birds were very good ; one always hopes that no faulty

feathers have come out in washing them. The Greys, as a rule,

were less perfect and wilder.


Class 56 (Mannikins), a poor class. Mr. Fulljames sent a

rare bird (569) which, unfortunately, looked very ill. Mr.

Maxwell sent a fine male specimen of Munia pectoralis, to my

mind, the only very attractive species of Mannikin, except the

Bengalese ; the latter are always charming. Mr. Fulljames had

a good pair of Pied Mannikins, and Mrs. Spencer a very nice pair

of Brown and White Bengalese.


Class 59 was the poorest class of Cardinals I have yet seen

at the Palace. Miss Jackson’s Green bird, no longer in his first

youth, was the best. A pair of Red-crested birds, belonging to

Mr. Ball, were good in condition and colour, but very wild, and

were in too small a cage. The Dominicans were very wild and

in poor condition.


Class 60 (Grosbeaks, Finches, and Buntings) had some

very nice and interesting birds. Entries 675 and 677, both

belonging to Mrs. Frostick, were birds of two species I had not

previously met with, and both, judging from their appearance,

were somewhat nearly related to the Serin Finches. No. 676,

belonging to the same exhibitor, was a pair of Grey Singing

Finches in particularly neat plumage ; for some reason or other,

one hardly ever sees a good Grey Singing Finch at a Show.

No. 667 was a bright but tailless specimen of Chrysomitris

tristis , and 668 a good Black-headed Siskin : 666, a moderate pair

of Pileated Finches. The remaining birds were a good Non¬

pareil, a Jacarini Finch, a pair of Saffron, and two pairs of

Green Singing Finches.


C. S. Simpson.



DOVES AND SOFT-BIEEED BIRDS.


Class 48.—Mr. J. B. Housden’s Green Nicobar Pigeons

were placed first (with special) as they have been before ; his

other pair being second. Beautiful birds in themselves, but

clumsy when confined in a Parrot’s cage, and under such circum¬

stances decidedly handicapped. Mr. D. Seth-Smith’s Jungle

Bush Quails (3rd) were pretty, but very timid. The Diamond

and Zebra Doves,as well as the Necklaced Turtle Doves, were all

pleasing to the eye. But this class was poorly represented.


Class 61.—A very good class, and a difficult one to award

individual prizes to. Mr. Fulljames carried off the first three



