172



Editorial.



SHORTAGE OF CANARY SEED IN AUSTRALIA.


A member’s correspondent writes from Sydney : The trouble is, we are going

to run out of canary seed ; there is only a few months’ supply here. The trouble

will be, no one will buy birds. Already the bird shops are besieged with folks

trying to sell their stocks of common birds on account of the high price of seed-

There is a little seed grown in Queensland, but that will not be ready for harvesting

before Christmas. All our canary seed comes from England, and as it cannot be

imported into England it cannot come out here.



THE PIGEON HOLLANDAIS AS PIGEON FRANCAI8.


Lieut. Delacotjr, in the ‘ Bulletin of the Socidte d’Acclimatation de France ’

for November last, remarks of the new Pigeon Hollandais (Alectrcenas pulcherrima ),

“ If it had not already too many names, I should be tempted to call it the ‘Pigeon

Frantjais,’ for it also reproduces, in darker hue, our national colours.”


The true Pigeon Hollandais (A. nitidissima) now extinct, appears to have

similarly impressed the old-time naturalists; for the late Prof. Newton has stated

that the specimen in the Edinburgh Museum, figured in this issue, was labelled

“The Hackled Pigeon (Ptilinopus nitidissimus), Scop. Sp. locality, Isle of France,

Columba Francice Dufresne.” On the bottom of the stand was written, “ R -d

Hackled Pigeon, 219, Columba Framyia, Linn.” The name may, however, refer

to its habitat. Graham Renshaw.


February 16 th, 1918.



EDITORIAL,


“ That’s my dream —all British ! ” said Cecil Rhodes on a

memorable occasion ; and the present South African issue may

indeed be termed an Imperial number — thanks to our contributors,

who have voiced anew the thrilling romance of Africa, and demon¬

strated the richness of her wonderful bird-life.


In April space will be devoted to practical applied Aviculture,

with especial reference to zoological garden work and bird acclimati¬

sation. Aviculture in relation to taxidermy will be illustrated by

Dr. Shufeldt’s paper on the Mounted Bird Exhibit in the United

States National Museum.



G. R.



