n6 Correspondence, Notes, etc.


last five lines of Editorial Notes), surely fie sfiould be tfie last person to

complain. “ Onlooker.”



ORANGE-HEADED GOULDIAN FINCH.


Sir, —If it is not a useless waste of good space, I am writing to say

tfiat my male Orange-lieaded Gonldian Fincli lias moulted, resuming tfie

brilliant orange feathers. Tfie tip of tfie bill is also orange. He bad

mated witli a female Red-bead, wlio bad eggs, but a wretcfi of an Australian

Crimson Fincli killed fier. It would liave been most interesting to see

whether any of tfie progeny would have bad orange beads. Tfie male bird

is in splendid health and plumage.


Hubert D. Astley.



OUR COLOURED PLATES.


Sir, —I fear I cannot agree with Mr. Slater that tfie effectiveness of

tfie coloured plates is seriously marred by their backgrounds. To begin with,

I do not see where tfie “darkness ” comes in.


Why sfiould birds be portrayed with a lack of artistic and natural

surroundings, any more than human beings ? In tfie portraits of Sir

Joshua Reynolds and Gainsborough and other great artists, tfie contour

and likeness of a man or woman is not “seriously effected ” because of tfie

sylvan scenery or otherwise, as an adjunct. Indeed, in tfie case of pictures

of birds, such adjuncts seem to be more necessary, because apart from tfie

artistic touch which is imparted to them, one is much helped to realize tfie

habits of tfie bird whose portrait is drawn or painted. I am thankful

that we are passing by tfie time when birds of every possible kind were

placed on a piece of earth, or a bare twig, in pictures. Take, for example,

Mr. Gronvold’s drawing of tfie Regent Bird in tfie December Magazine. In

that picture, tfie surroundings are rather more extensive and elaborate than

usual; and, although uncoloured, where does tfie “darkness” come in to

effectively mar tfie portrait ? On tfie contrary, it immediately gives one an

idea of what tfie bird is like in its own native country.


As to tfie picture of tfie Red-capped Parrots, tfie contour of both male

and female is absolutely defined and clear, and gives you a most excellent

portrait. Natural surroundings also help in tfie proportions.


I wanted to do a pair of Pygmy Doves, which are no larger than an

American Blue Robin. To put them on a twig (a la “ Morris’s British

Birds ”) would give one no idea of their diminished size; with nothing to

compare them with, they might for all anyone knows who has never seen

them, be tfie size of a Crowned Pigeon, I portrayed them sitting under tfie

blossom of a cactus.


There is nothing more unwelcome to one’s eye than a thoroughly

unnatural photograph ; photographs such as were taken thirty' years ago,

with a man or a woman standing close to a vulgar-looking pedestal, one



