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The Crystal Palace Bird Show



•erected at the Zoological Gardens these pretty little birds may be

allowed an aviary of a suitable size to permit of their building

their nests and successfully rearing their young.



THE CRYSTAL PALACE BIRD SHOW.


Those interested in British and Foreign Cage Birds, and who wished

to see a fine collection, had little to complain of in the exhibition held at

the Crystal Palace from February 9th to the 13th. For some years past no

less than three bird shows have been held at the Palace during the year, and

sometimes these have been in successive months, with the result that each

has been decidedly poor. The recent show is the only one held during the

last twelve months, and was decidedly in advance (so far at least as the

British and Foreign sections were concerned) of any during recent years.

Space will not permit of the British and Foreign Classes, but we propose to

offer a few remarks on the most interesting exhibits.


The classes for British Birds were well filled. There were two speci¬

mens of the Meadow Bunting (Emberisa cia): an example of this species

was exhibited at the British Ornithologists’ Club in December 1904, which

was said to have been captured alive with another in Sussex in October

1902. The appearance of two more of the same species points to either a

remarkable visitation of a hitherto unknown British bird, or else, as

appeared to be the general opinion at the show, that these birds had

“migrated” to this country in a travelling cage. The Meadow Bunting is

indigenous to Central and Southern Europe.


There were two Lapland Buntings, a species frequently captured on

our Southern coasts in autumn and winter; two fine Shore Larks, and no

less than six Choughs; while there were quite a number of such interesting

species as Waxwings, Tree-creepers, Wrynecks, Gold-crests, and so forth.

There was one Black Redstart and one Great Grey Shrike.


In the foreign section there was much to interest the aviculturist.

The first class, that devoted to the smaller Parrakeets, contained a very

“beautiful pair of Hanging Parrots (Loriculus) exhibited by Mr. J. Dewhurst,

which I took to be L. indicus, but without some knowledge of the locality

whence they were obtained it was difficult to name them without a chance

of comparing them with other specimens. They were, very rightly,

awarded first prize.


The class for the larger Parrakeets was well supported, the first prize

being won by a fine pair of Scaly-breasted Lorikeets sent by Mr. Housden.

The second prize was awarded to two Mealy Rosellas, belonging to Miss

Peddie Waddell, evidently both of the same sex, though I could not be

certain to which sex they belonged. A nice pair of Lineolated Parrakeets



