45 



The next few teams, all small in numbers, were passed over 

 quickly, consisting- as they did of birds good enough in their way, 

 but not especially prominent. They were probably sent in by 

 beginners or young fanciers, who, very wisely, paid entrance fees to 

 enable them to hear their own productions in the very best company, 

 and to profit by the comparisons thus made possible. Some were 

 evidently sent over for practice, in the hope that they might pick up a 

 good note or two, or that they should get used to strange places, 

 strange faces, and to travelling. 



Soon after we came across another brilliant performer, whose 

 rapid and easy delivery of each tour enabled him to pour forth his 

 excellent repertoire twice over without stopping. This clever pro- 

 duction, although only of a comparatively small number of changes, 

 decided the judge to mark him for a " first," subject to another hearing 

 in the afternoon. There was another remarkable specimen in the 

 same team with an almost similar song. For some time the judge 

 seemed to be equally pleased with this bird, but as the song was 

 repeated he blundered in his opening tour. What at first had been a 

 slowly lengthening " zee-zeee-zeeee," in close imitation of one of the 

 nightingale's best strains, was now begun in a higher key, and became 

 the objectionable " tzi-tzi-tzit ; " and this fault placed the bird 

 hopelessly into the background. 



Another of this team was troubled with slight huskiness, probably 

 brought on by the previous night's fatigue in travelling. The judge, 

 suspecting the trouble to be only transitory, medicated the bird's 

 drinking water, moistened his rape seed with thin honey, and granted 

 him complete rest out of earshot of the noisy throng. When the 

 patient was heard again, three hours later on, he sang "as clear as 

 a bell." 



The perseverance displayed by a judge when on duty seemed to 

 me inexhaustible. While the British judge is provided with aqua 

 fortis for the detection of possible dyeing, the Teuton judge carries- 

 only honey and voice clearing medicaments. 



The twelfth team was large, and included some excellent talent. 

 These birds had evidently never been out of their master's care 

 before ; a conclusion we came to as soon as the green cotton flaps 

 covering them were thrown back, for every bird appeared alarmed 



