Foreis.li & British Birds at the L.C.B.A. Show. 279 
BRITISH BIRD SECTION. 
By H. GooDCHiLD, M.B.O.U. 
While the "Open Foieij^n Bird Section " was an unqualified 
success, the Bi itish Biid Section, if not a failure actually, was, with 
a lar<^er entr\', not up to the standard that the generous classifi- 
cation provided by the management might have warranted one 
to expect. Speaking as a member of the British Bird Club, and 
also as an Ornitliologist, I cannot but regret that several of tlie 
classes which would have been of the greatest interest to Ornith- 
ologists, had to be cancelled owing to a paucity of entries. Thus, 
three cla.sses for Insectivorous Bird, A — Resident (Class 144), 
Hen birds (Class 148), and all other species (Class 147) were lost. 
The class that, as a student of Palsearctic bird-life in its 
broader sense, as distinguished from a British bird student pure 
and simple, would have interested me most, was that for " Any 
species of European bird not included in the National British 
Bird Club's list. Such a class might have included many birds 
of great interest, — birds that have rarely, if ever, visited our 
shores (where they would almost certainly be shot on sight if 
they were seen by collectors) but whicli might be characteristic 
of many a beauty spot on the continent of Europe. 
Of the eighteen classes which remained (totalling less than 
200 entries) after the cancelling had been done, only a few were 
of any special interest to Ornithologists, as the first ten (classes 
128 to 137 inclusive) were devoted to the commoner species of 
seed-eating birds; the only class in the .series of interest to 
Ornithologists being that devoted to Hawfinches, containing 
eight birds (class 129). These ten classes contained some hun- 
dred birds, and while I cannot help admiring the skill, patience, 
and knowledge — not to say love, — that the exhibitors show in 
bringing wild caught birds into such perfect condition and tame- 
ness, I cannot, as a naturalisl, l)ut deplore the tendency to mar 
the natural tints of our native birds by the internal dyeing called 
"colour-feeding." Where this treatment is resorted to in order 
to retain the natural colour either of the plumage or the soft 
parts (as I am assured by experienced exhibitors is necessary 
in the case of the bill of the Chough and the male Blackbird) 
