Correspondence, Notes , etc.



259



process, and even tried to lick it off the end of the quill. But, as I have

said before, it was of no use, and they wasted to mere skin and bone

before they finally succumbed. I am half afraid not one of those few and

expensive specimens of this rare and beautiful Parrakeet is by this time

alive, but should be pleased to learn that other members had met with

better success. E. A. H. HARTLEY.



THE YELLOW-HEADED GOULDIAN FINCH.


Sir, —Mr. Astley, at page 236, has somewhat misrepresented what I

said. Possibly my letter may have been carelessly framed, for he has

confused two different lines of thought which were present in my mind

when I replied to his communication respecting various birds.


Concerning the Yellow-headed Gouldian Finch, I intended to say,

and am reasonably satisfied I did say, that it is found in the rvild state, and

that it is regarded as the yellow phase of the Red-headed Gouldian Finch.


Then I went on to refer to another matter, to abnormally coloured

Gouldian Finches in general, which are usually the impure and debilitated

descendants of captive Red- and Black-lieaded Gouldian Finches that have

been crossed and interbred and generally mixed up together. These, by

the way, usually have whitish heads and under parts, some being entirely

of an impure white, others partially so, the green alone of the entire

plumage maintaining its colour unaffected. Clearly these have degenerated

several stages below the yellow phase.


And I mentioned how that in past years I had purchased some of

these queer coloured Gouldians, and how that, after they had been

properly tended in 1113' aviar}', they had moulted into ordinary full coloured

Red- or Black-headed Gouldian Finches.


I should add that I do not refer to melauistic examples, which

mostly fall into a third category, for there may be and often are good wild-

caught birds that have been spoilt by improper treatment in captivit}\


Reginald Phiggipps.



CASSELL’S “ CANARIES AND CAGE BIRDS.”


Sir,—I was amused b) r receiving a short time ago a printed offer of

copies of a separately bound edition of the Foreign Bird Section of

Cassell’s “ Canaries and Cage Birds,” written by myself, 25 years ago, and

would wish to state that I have nothing whatever to do with, nor had any

knowledge of, this edition at a popular price.


Had a reprint been intended I should have gladly looked over the

book again, might have suggested a few alterations, and have found some¬

thing to say about that great favourite “ the Gouldian Finch,” which bird

was not known when the book was written, and is therefore not

mentioned, beyond a brief reference to the desirability of seeing arrivals of



