96 
IVie Ariaries and liifdn <it Bcnham Wdeiicf 
There was also a well-fitted up bird-room, well lii-hted and 
with a roomy balcony attached to the window, on which the birds 
spend most of their time during genial weather. Here I noticed 
an exquisite Rufous-bellied Niltava ; one of the most perfect pairs 
of Hooded Siskins ( C/irysoiiiitris cHdiilldta ) I have ever seen, 
and if fitness counts for anything at all, they should certainly 
breed this season : a good Cuban Thrusli f Miiiiociaihi. rtibripfs), 
and a Tropical Seed J'inch (Ort/zi>hnrits ttir/'idiist), were the prin- 
cipal occupants. In the house and conservatory I noticed several 
rare birds, viz. : 
Racquet-tailed Parrot. ( P/-i()Nitt(ri(s2)/atu,nis). Un- 
fortunately the i)hotos taken of this bird show too much move- 
ment for reproduction, the exjiosures having to be somewhat 
lengthy owing to being made under glass, and in the early part of 
the morning before the sun condescended to shine ; therefore I am 
compelled to he content with figuring a rough sketch of its tail 
(made on the spot). This, probably the only living specimen in 
Europe, is a very fine male, perfect save for a strained wing, 
causing it to project, thus marring the symmetry of an otherwise 
perfect bird. 
Description ( t? ) : Bright grass green, tinged with yellow- 
ish on the under surface ; band across the crown, red ; hind-head, 
grey ; the back, scapulars and upper wing coverts, greenish-grey ; 
other coverts and primaries, green edged with yellow ; a band of 
bright yellow crosses the interscapular region ; the tail is green, 
with the two central feathers extending as bare shafts for ^^in. 
with their tips webbed in the form of a racquet, the centres of 
which are blue ; the lateral feathers have the ends blue Avhich 
