Correspondence , Notes, etc.



169



“THE EMU.”


The Emu, tlie journal of the Australasian Ornithologists’

Union continues its useful career. The October number

contains, amongst much very interesting matter, a valuable

article on a trip undertaken by Mr. J. F. Kilgour to the Ord

River, North-West Australia. Many of the birds met with are

familiar to Aviculturists in this country, such as Zebra, Gouldian,

Pectoral, Rufous-tailed, Masked, Roug-tailed and Crimson

Finches, most of which were extremely numerous in certain

parts where the grass was long and plentiful. Bare-eyed

Cockatoos (Cacatua gymnopisj were seen in flocks of between

sixty and seventy thousand; and a eucalyptus with a large

salmon-coloured flower afforded food for immense numbers of

Red-collared Lorikeets ( IVichoglossus rubritorquis).


A correspondent described a hybrid Parrakeet, bred in

captivity between the Mealy Rosella (.Platycercus pallidiceps) and

the Yellow-vented Blue-bonnet ( Psepholus xanthoirhous) two

species that have probably never been known to hybridize

before.


The January number contains an account of the fourth

annual session of the Australasian Ornithologists’ Union,

recently held at Sydney, and several of the papers read are

printed in full. Captain Hutton, F.R.S., writes on the

“Geographical Origin and Subsequent Development of the Rand

Birds of New Zealand ; ” Colonel Regge, on “ Birds observed

at the Great Lake (Tasmania) in the month of March ; ” and

Mr. A. G. Campbell on “ Some Comparisons of Victorian and

Tasmanian Birds.”



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


THE TANAGRIDHJ AS FINCHES.


Sir, —The older Members of our Society will probably remember

that in Vol. IV. of the first series (p. 181) Mr. S. Perkins asked me the

question “as to whether or not it is more improper to call a Nightingale a

Warbler than to call a Tauager a Finch ” ; and he proceeded to inform us

that no modern Ornithologists include the Tanagridce in the Fringillidce.



