Editorial. 163 
An unique Consignment: Just on going to press we 
learn that Mr. E. J. Brook has received the following, which have 
been collected and brought over b\' our esteemed member, Mr. W. 
Goodfellow. Mr. Brook informs me that thej^ are all in excellent 
condition : 
I pair Khiehirds of P. (rndolphi.) 2 i 1 'i A. subularis. 
^ S 2 i Ephnarcus itiryett. i Young Mountain Ca.ssowary. 
3 <j 4 ? Astra' chia stephanice. 2> ^'^'^^^'^'^^^-•^^'^^^^'yO'eopsitlacus grandis) 
1 <r Greater Bird of Paradi-se. i pair Wilhelniinas Lory. 
2 pairs vSuperl) Bird of Paradise. 4 Stella Lories. 3 Fair Lorikeets. 
I <r Hunstein's Bird of Paradise, i Forsten's Lorikeet. 
I Loria mariae, youii<^. 3 curious Honej' Suckers. 
I pair Ainblyornis inornata. 3 Palcporiiis longicauda. 
We are unfortunately compelled to leave all comment till next 
issue, but we congratulate Mr. Brook on the acquisition of so 
gorgeous and rare a series, most especially on the pair of Blue 
Birds of Paradise, which, we trust will live long in his aviaries. 
The Fkiak Bikd's Escapade: My cock Silvery-crowned 
Friar Bird escaped from the net to-day (August 8th) while I was 
transferring it from in- to out-door quarters. It at once flew away 
to some distance and I gave it up for lost. It was out of sight 
for longisli periods, though its weird and strange cries sounding 
most un-English, were frequently repeated with about 10 to 15 
minutes silent intervals. I presume it must have attracted a 
great deal of attention and no little wonder as to what it could 
be. Fortunately for me, after six hours of liberty, it returned 
and went into my greenhouse-birdroom, flew into its enclosure 
which I had left open, quietly settling on a perch and was thus 
recaptured without difficulty. Though the period of its liberty 
was an anxious one for me ; this was softened in a measure by the 
half-hour intervals of observation I got of it, disporting itself 
among the trees of my neighbours' gardens. This species, though 
plainly claid is very handsome and striking even in a small flight; 
but seeing it thus disporting itself at large among the tops of my 
neighbours' fruit trees, was the sight of a lifetime*, and will be 
green in my memory for many a long day ; it certainly was some 
recompense for the anxiety I endured while it was at large — 
plain ! its beauty was simply marvellous, and though a large bird, 
its deportment was tit-like; I cannot however enlarge upon this 
owing to lack of space, but will return to it in some futnre issue. 
• It was a bit of Australian wild life enacted in a T^oudon suburb. 
