182 Capt. G. A. Perreau,


the same country, and is now progressing down the next and

last bar.* A most striking demonstration of progressive ortho-

genetic differentiation, still advancing and even cutting through

the brilliant colouring, which, in part, we attribute to natural

selection.



THE ORIGIN OF BENGALESE.



I beg to add my mite of information regarding this

question. At the end of October last I wrote a letter on this

subject, and was typing it out when I noticed things in the aviary

rather at variance with what I had written, so did not send it off.

However I now send in the letter as it was then written, adding

notes to it.


Having just received Mr. Finn's Garden and Aviary Birds

of India and also the October number of the Avicultural Magazine \

I feel constrained to give my experiences, which incline me to

agree with Mr. Finn in thinking that the Bengalese had its

origin in Urolonclia acuticauda.


In Bombay, in January 1901, I made my first acquaint-

ance with the Sharp-tailed Finch (though I did not know it by

that name then), and immediately thought of the original Ben-

galee and took the only two offered for sale. Fortunately they

turned out a pair. I also took four Striated Finches, but there

were no Bengalese procurable, worse luck. These birds I kept

till I went to Chitral in September, 1902. U. striata made no-

attempt at nesting in a large aviary cage, and only got so far as

eggs in the aviary. U. acuticauda made several good attempts in

both places, only being prevented from fully rearing young by

my having to move house. The two species did not chum up-

together. On my return in December 1903 they " were not."


In December 1904 I obtained four more examples of £/.

striata and six Bengalese, but no specimens of U. acuticauda.

These birds were all turned out in an outdoor aviary that May.

The Bengalese were two pairs and two hens and reared some

normal young. There were at least two cocks among the Striated


* A detailed account of this case is now in preparation.



