The L.C B. A. Show.



63



Grosbeaks, True Finches and Buntings numbered ten—a

good lot. First went to the Mexican Siskin, a pretty strangely-

marked species, black above and yellow below ; second to Mrs.

Miller’s well-known lovely Rainbow Bunting; third to Mr.

Maxwell’s Black-cheeked Cardinal ( Patsaria nigrigenis) ; this, I

may say for the benefit of those who have not seen it at the Zoo,

is very like the Yellow-bellied, but has black sides to the head

and a crest expanding transveisely. A beautiful Green Cardinal

took fourth ; but Mr. Pauwel’s Black-and-yellow Grosbeak might

well have gone above it, as much rarer. A pair of Pintailed Non¬

pareil was also shown in this class and a good pair of the true or

American Nonpareil, the lien a perfect gem. A Lavender Finch

was h.c. but should have been wrong-classed, its place being with

the rarer Waxbills, of course.


There was a splendid series of Tanagers in two classes.

One for the common sorts—Superb, Tri-colour, Violet, Scarlet,

Blue, Palm and Black—and one for all the rest. All were in good

form. I11 the first class, a Blue of the Tobago race took first, and

second and third both went to Superbs. I11 the class for rarer

Tanagers, which was much better filled, Mr. Townsend’s Gold

and Green ( Calliste /lava') was first, Mr. Maxwell’s Pretre

Spindalis pretrii) second, while Lady Pilkington took third and

v.h.c. with a pair of All Greens ( Chlorophonia viridis ) and a Blue

and Black ( Tanagrella cyanomelaena) \ Mrs. Miller’s Emerald-

spotted was fourth, and the Festive, Necklace and Maroon weie

also shown.


No less than sixteen entries were in the class for Honey-

eaters, and formed a most attractive collection, all well shown.

Mr. Ezra’s Amethyst-rumped Sunbird ( Arachechthra zeylonica )

was the best of this species I ever saw in England, and well

deserved its place; there were two good Purples (. A . asialica )

which species is far easier to keep, as I found out when I brought

the first imported Sunbirds to England in 1S97 ; I only had one

Purple, which arrived safely at the Zoo, but my last of several

Amethysts died en route from Plymouth to London ; they are very

susceptible to cold. Mrs. Bouike’s Purple or Yellow-legged

Sugar-bird was second ; this species, by the way, appears not to

go into undress, in spite of sometimes putting out green feathers



