Notes on the Crystal Palace Bird Shozv.



168


There were four beautiful Choughs ; and one of the Wax-

wings shown was as perfect a specimen as it is possible to

imagine. Grey Shrikes, Meadow Buntings, Black Redstarts, and

a Middle-spotted Woodpecker ( Dcndrocopus medius) were all of

great interest, though the last-mentioned bird, which is not

British, should not have been entered as such, and was rightly

passed by the judge. Tree-creepers, Goldcrests, and such like

mites testified, by their generally excellent condition, to the

skill of their owners.


Mr. H. T. T. Camps judged the Foreign Birds which

comprised an extremely rare and beautiful collection. His first

Class was that devoted to Lovebirds, Budgerigars, and

Hanging Parrots, and was remarkable from the fact of there

being no less than five pairs of Black-cheeked Lovebirds (Aga-

po??iis nigrigenis) present. This species, as most of our readers

are probably aware, was unknown in this country a year ago, and

the only museum specimens known were two skins at Cape

Town.* But it is no more a rarity, and can now be purchased at

a very moderate figure. One pair escaped from its cage during

the Show ; the female of another pair occupied her time by laying

eggs in the cage.


The Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot ( Loriculus galgulus)

was represented by five specimens, but there were no full-

coloured males amongst them.


In the Class for the Larger Parrakeets and Lorikeets

Mr. C. T. Maxwell’s Black-throated Lorikeet (Trichoglossus

nigzigularis) obtained the first prize, but it is questionable

whether it deserved to be placed above the fine pair of the rarely

imported (3rd prize) Pileated Parrakeets ( Porphyrocephalus

spurius) belonging to Mr. Beaty, albeit these were very shy, as

these birds, unsuitable as they are for a caged existence, generally

are. The second prize went to Mr. Millsum’s Black-winged Lory

a rare bird, but one has seen it before. Mr. C. T. Maxwell’s pair

of Rock Grass Parrakeets (. Neophema petrophila ) (v.h c.) greatly

took my fancy. A few of these have been imported by one firm

of dealers within the last 3^ear or two, but they are really



See Avicultural Magazine Vol., VI. p 290, also p.p. 317—329. Vol. VII., p.p. 31—36,

and present issue.



