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Mr. Gordon Dargrrish,



days. They are intelligent, and, with a little guidance at first

will not only find their way backwards and forwards through a

very small opening but may be trusted to return to the shelter

of the room if at all cold, and in any case to come in long before

dark. One would have thought that other small birds might

have sufficient sense to do likewise, but such is not always the

case. Some species will never come in to roost unless compelled

to do so. Others, like my Ringed Finches (Stictoplera annuloscv )

at this moment, cannot find their way backwards and forwards

through a small aperture, notwithstanding that other species are

shewing them the way, under their very noses, all through the

da}': for the Ringed Finches, I have to throw the window wide

open; and they require a great deal of schooling, delicate though

they be, before they can be taught to sleep in comfort in the

birdroom—I mean, during the winter months. All members of

the genus Phonipara must be regarded as delicate, so far as

temperature is concerned.


To sum up, the Olive Finch is an exceedingly nice little

bird, and is neglected, when imported, only because its merits

are not known. A good fully adult male, thoroughly healthy, is

a pretty little fellow, the deep black and rich orange of face and

throat being very attractive. It is intelligent, sprightly, and

tame, a bird of some character, and much more engaging than is

many a one that is habitually kept by aviculturists in this country.



SOME VICTIMS OF FASHION.


By Gordon Dargrrrsh.


Since the wearing of bird plumes has become “fashion¬

able” an immense amount of harm has been done by certain

Mahommedan natives in India who, finding out some birds are

valuable, slaughter them wholesale, and in the catching of these

they are singularly successful. One very ingenious way they

have is by means of bird lime. The fowler first of all provides

himself with a large screen made of leaves and grass. This he

carries in one hand ; in the other he has a number of bamboos

that can be jointed together like a fishing rod, the last joint being

very thin and forked at the end ; this being smeared with bird



