164 Foreign Birds at the “ Great National ” Shoiu.



FOREIGN BIRDS AT THE “GREAT NATIONAL”


SHOW.


A few years ago the only cage-bird show held during the

year at the Crystal Palace was the “ Great National,” at the end

of January or beginning of February ; then the foreign bird

section, as a rule, was well worth going a long way to see, which

can hardly be said of the show held from January 29th to

February 2nd last ; but when it is remembered that two large

shows had been held in the same building within the preceding

three months it was hardly to be wondered at that one saw

practical!} 7, nothing that one had not seen at the Palace before.

The show, so far as foreign birds were concerned, was certainly

not up to the average, and not to be compared with the one held

in December last.


I11 the Parrakeet Class, Mr. Hawkins’ Varied Lorikeets

{Ptilosclera versicolor) were again conspicuous, though one of

them appeared to the writer to be somewhat out of sorts. Of

course they took the first prize. Second came the only bird we

do not remember to have seen before on the show-bench, namely

a Red-bellied Conure (Pyrrhura vittata), well shown by Mr.

Osbaldeston. Like most of the Conures, this species is fond

of uttering a most ear - piercing and irritating shriek. There

were other good birds, such as Kings, Red-wings, Pennants,

and Swainson’s Lorikeets, but nothing else of any rarity.

Amongst the large Parrots, Dr. Lister’s now famous Banksian

Cockatoo was again the best bird. There were three Macaws

and several Amazons and Greys.


In the Class for rarer Waxbills, Mr. Hawkins’ three rare

Firefinches, Lagonosticta niveiguttata , L. vinacea and L. rufopicta

were conspicuous. There was also a Bicheno-Zebra Finch

hybrid, and Mr. Osbaldeston’s Crimson-finch (NeochtJiia phaeton)

was one of the finest of its kind we have seen. A Red-headed

Finch (Amadina erythroccphala ) was also worth notice. Mr.

Frostick sent a good pair of Trumpeter Bullfinches (.Erythrospiza

githagineal) and Mr. Hawkins a couple of Olive Finches (PhonP

para olivacea ).



