Some Rarities at the Horticultural Hall Bird Show. 117



SOME RARITIES AT THE

HORTICULTURAL HALL BIRD SHOW.


The twenty-fifth annual exhibition of the L.C.B.A. was held

at the Horticultural Hall on the 27th, 28th and 29th of last month.

The entries were a record, thanks to the untiring energy of Mr. Allen

Silver and The Foreign Bird Exhibitors’ League for altering the

classifications and guaranteeing all the Classes. The Show un¬

doubtedly was a huge success, as never before was there such a

marvellous collection of rare and beautiful Foreign Birds seen —

nearly 20 of which being quite new to the show bench. The most

coveted prize for the Best Foreign Bird in the Show w'as awarded

to Mr. A. Ezra’s Southern Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa),

a most beautifully graceful bird and in most perfect condition.

Many good judges declared it the best bird ever exhibited both as

regards beauty and condition. In the Class for Parrakeets Miss

Clare’s pair of Queen Alexandra’s were beautiful, also her pair of

Hooded Parrakeets. The rarest Waxbill was Mr. Maxwell’s “ Peter’s

Spotted Finch,” a bird so seldom seen, and next to him came Mr.

Frost’s lovely pair of Red-faced Finches ( Pytelia afro) as well as

a Jameson’s Finch, both of which were not for competition. Mr.

Watts showed his beautiful Queen Whydah, and Mr. Beaty a Gold-

collared Paradise Whydah, a rare bird. Mr. Ezra’s Blue Chaffinch

was a very rare exhibit, as this bird is very scarce, even on the

island of Teneriffe, where they are known to occur, and is not

found except on one or two of the Canary Islands.


In the Class for Sunbirds, etc., Mr. Ezra showed five

different species of these exquisite creatures. They were the

Southern Malachite, the Greater Amethyst, the Cape Lesser

Double-collared, the Black-breasted, Yellow-backed, and the

Amethyst-rumped Sunbirds. Numbers two, three, and four were

new to shows. Major Horsbrugli sent a rare Brown-eared Bulbul

and a Blue and Black Jay from Yucatan, both new to the show

bench. Mrs. Warren Vernon exhfbited a most lovely Hunting Cissa

—the tamest bird in the show.


In the rare-feathered Class Mr. Ezra showed a beautiful



