264 
Laic News. 
they have been obtained with great pains from the Silla — the 
heights surrounding Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Al- 
though the name of the Avicultur!st must be withheld, we are 
allowed to say it is the same who succeeded in March, 191310 
establishing for the first time live CoHbris in Europe by taking 
a special journey to the French West Indian islands. Several 
of these are still in existence and in excellent health, and, it 
is to be hoped this new lot will do equally well. More detail's 
of this event will be published in next month's number; but 
in view of the great difficulties created by the state of war, this 
must be looked upon as something more than an ordinary 
new importation. 
Later: On August 31st we learn that instead of ten 
there are about thirty Humming Birds, consisting of eight 
species, six only of which have as yet been identified. Most 
of the birds look like living, many being actually perfect in 
feather and health. There are adults and young birds still 
in nestling plumage, and most of the species are represented 
by males and females, which make the collection still more 
interesting. The species identified are as follows: 
Lampornis violicollis. c" and 9- 
Chrysolampis elatus, cf and 9- 
Amazilia sophiae, cf and 9- 
Agyrtia millcri. cf and 9- 
Agyrtia fimbriaia. 
Leucippus fallax, cf and 9- 
Most of the above are minute species, smaller than my 
Bellona — "just about the size of large blue-bottle flies." There 
are about ten Ruby Topaz, three or four of which are in 
"baby-plumage" yet, simply jewels I Our member promises 
to report progress later. 
Nesting of Black-tailed Hawfinches: Miss A. 
B. Smyth reports that her pair of Eophona melanura have 
hatched out three young, two of which have died, but that the 
third at time of writing (September 4th) was very promising. 
It is ten days' old and the parents are feeding well. Miss 
Smyth has also had a Cllitch of eggs from her Senegal Parrots, 
which unfortunately were broken — fuller details in our next. 
Red-collared Lorikeets: In Miss Peddie-Waddell's 
