Ouestiojis touching the Bengalee. 99


swallowed. At the distance of a few feet I could trace the

progress of the unfortunate struggling beetle down the gullet of

the Crane ; and once when the insect had only travelled half-way

down the long neck, the Crane put down his head and scratched

his chin with his foot, afterwards finishing the swallowing

process with the most complete unconcern !



QUESTIONS TOUCHING THE BENGALEE.


Munia domes tica, Flower.

By Dr. Arthur G. Butler.


In the December number of our Magazine Captain Stanley

S. Flower questions the decision of myself and others touching

the descent of the Bengalee from the Striated Finch ; and, after

calling attention to the fact that I formerly adopted Mr. Abrahams'

opinion and believed this bird to be a result of hybridism between

the Striated Finch and Indian Silverbill, that Russ thought it a

•descendant from the Sharp-tailed Finch, and Wiener either of

the Sharp-tailed or the Striated Finch, he proceeds to ask

whether anyone has actually succeeded in producing it from

typical Uroloncha striata or \>y crossing U. striata with any

•other species, and to what extent the three varieties of the

Bengalee breed true.


There has never been any question in the minds of

aviculturists as to the Bengalee having been produced by the

Japanese: the German name " Japanesische Movchen " and the

fact that it is so far as I am aware, only imported from Tokio,

indicate this ; while Mr. Wiener's remarks seem to show that

the character even of the cages in which the Japs breed this

domesticated race is known : — " Through being bred by the

Japanese in miniature cages."


Touching the various origins attributed to this bird, it

may first be noted that the hybrid origin suggested by the late

Mr. Abrahams and adopted by myself was mainly based upon

the fact that the varieties of the Bengalee, but more especially

those which least resemble the Striated Finch, are decidedly

smaller than the latter and show lateral crescentic markings ; I

also regarded it as not improbable that the bird was of hybrid



