Correspondence. 269



THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY’S AUSTRALASIAN COLLECTION.


I11 the middle of December last Mr. I). Setli-Smith sailed for

Australia 011 behalf of the Zoological Society, with the object of obtaining,

as far as possible, a representative collection of Australasian fauna for the

Loudon Zoo. He visited all of the Australian States and secured, bv

exchange, purchase and presentation a large collection of Marsupials,

birds and reptiles, about seven hundred head arriving safely in Loudon.


Although it is hoped that we may read about this expedition in our

Magazine later on, the following list of the birds brought home may be of

interest to our members: —


Banksian Black Cockatoos, King Parrakeets, Crimson-wings, Yellow-

collared, Brown’s, Redrump, Barnard’s, Mealy Rosella, Rosella, Stanley,

Blue-bonnet, Rock Peplar, Yellow-bellied, Bourke’s, Pileated and Queen

Alexandra Parrakeets; Swainson’s and Yellow-collared Lorikeets; Kea

Parrots, Emus, Cassowary, Black Swans ; Cape Barren, Maned and Magpie

Geese; Raja and Variegated Sheldrakes; Australian Shovellers, Evton’s

Tree Ducks, Whistling Ducks, Black Ducks, Chestnut-breasted and Japanese

Teal ; Apteryx , Weka Rails, Australian Pelicans, Native Companion

Cranes, Ibises, Stone Plovers, Wattled Plovers, Black-breasted Plovers,

Black Water Hens and Green Water Hens (Tribonyx mortieri) and Blue

Porphyrins; Bustards, Wedge-tailed Eagles, White-bellied Sea Eagle, White

Goshawks, Brown Harrier, Australian Sparrow-hawk, Black-cheeked Kestrel,

Australian Kestrel, Winking Owls, Boobook Owls, F'rogmouths; Laughing,

I,each’s, Fawn-breasted and Sacred Kingfishers ; Wonga Pigeons, Bronze-

wing and Brush Bronze-wing Pigeons ; Satin and Spotted Bower-birds, Pied

Grallinas, Coach-whiu-bird, Blue Wrens, Hemipodes, Quails, Brush Tur¬

keys; White-backed, Black-backed and Black “Magpies”; Butcher Bird;

White - fronted Herons, Melodious Thrush, Oriole, Cuckoo Shrike ;

Garrulous, Blue-faced, Spiny-cheeked, New Holland, White-tufted, .Spine-

billed and other Honey-eaters; Black and White Fantails, Fire-tailed and

other small Finches.


Many of the birds are housed near the Marsupials on the North bank

of the Regent’s Canal, but there is not sufficient accommodation there for

nearly all, and the majority have been distributed in various aviaries,

houses and paddocks in the Gardens.



A BIRD’S VENGEANCE.


On the 30th of October, 1907, Mr. W. E. Teschemaker sent me a pair

of Chingolo Song-Sparrows which he had bred and I turned them into one

of my smaller aviaries in company with a good-tempered Long-tailed

Wliydah (Chera progne).


Soon after the Whydali had resumed its summer dress, about May,

190S, the Song-Sparrow determined to go to nest in a covered box (cigar-



