42 
\(ili(>tiiil Shoic- British Section. 
visitor, notably tlip " White Blackbird " with the contradictory 
description ; ^his particular one was not in the best of feather, 
as it looked, although so tame, to have suffered somewhat fi'om 
travelling to and from shows. Douljtless the bird was in perfect 
feather after its last moult. Mr. Walsh's Silver Starling was again 
first, but was not in such condition as when we saw it at the Horti- 
cultural Hall. 'J'he second prize went to a pied Ueed Bunting which 
was in s])lendid feather, and got a special as wel). 'J'lie most amusing 
bird in tliE class was the White Jackdaw, shown by Mr. G. \V. Pocock, 
which seemed very much at home and to be enjoying the Show and the 
excitement incidental to its position. A lutino " ^'ellowliannner " w;is 
e.'ihiljited, the same one, 1 was informed, which was shown at the 
C'rystal Palace about seven years ago, but as might be exjiected, it does 
not look quite so sleek and perfect now. The class for any females of 
British finches, had two Crossbills, one Mr. W. f .owne's and the other 
Mr. J. Goodall's, both these were good specimens. 
Nightingales and Blackcaps together mustered nine, and Larks 
and Pipits eleven, with two or three Shorelaiks, one of which (Mr. 'l\ 
Erskine's) was a very choice specimen, the best I remember seeing at 
any show. 
(Jlass 118 with only eight entries, contained two Bearded Tits, 
one of which, despite his being provided with real reeds stuck in bis 
cage, looked rather draggled, while the other (Mr. W. F. Merrin's) wfiB 
charming, both in colour and in condition. Mr. S. L. Cocks showed 
one of his lovely exhibits, a silvery-breasted Common Tree-Creeper, 
which ran about all over the red baize lining of its cage in a way to both 
amuse and surprise the ordinary visitor. A c< mmon Wren was shown 
by Mr. FrosticU, but the laurels for Ornithological interest in this class 
were won by Mr.^. M. R. Frostick's Lesser-spotte<l Woodpecker. 
This dear little bird sat for his portrait, to the present writer, 
and sat in a way that rejoiced his heart. 
As usual, the class for the smaller Migratory birds was of con- 
siderable interest, boasting as it did two Black Redstarts (Mr. Beaty's 
and Mr. Maxwell's), a Whitethroat (Mr. Otto Puck), a Yellow Wagtail 
of Mr Maxwell's [this one is colour fed I feel sure !J while 1st prize and 
three specials went to Mr. S. H. May's charming and interesting Grass- 
hopper Warbler. Of the three specimens of this species I have seen 
during this winter, this one is certainly tlie best, although perhaps the 
smallest. The bird was perfectly tame and showed a sleekness and 
gloss of feather I did not expect to find in so loose feathered a Warbler 
as this species. 
