The Transfer of a Choice Collection. 125 
siiiu had enriched his collection witli several choice species of 
these charming and lovely tropical birds. Foremost amongst 
them for beauty may be placed the Hooded Parrakeets 
{Psepholus cucuUatus), a beautiful pair of which were exhibited by 
Mr. Millsum at the Horticultural Hall in November last. At the 
time of my visit, there were three pairs in Mr. Millsum's care, but 
1 believe that two of the pairs were intended for another of our 
members — Mr. Willford, if 1 recollect rightly. They seem to be 
uncommonly delicate l)irds, and despite the greatest care and 
attention, one of the female birds died during my visit, and 
another looked as if it might also succumb. There was one pair 
however, which looked to me to be in the pink of health and 
condition, and this particular pair had, I believe, been in their 
owner's care for a considerable time but were eventually to enrich 
the Everberg aviaries. 
Several specimens of Brown's Parrakeet {Platycercus brownii) 
were there, and as with the Hooded Parrakeets, there was one pair 
particularly fine, in both markings and condition, and one of this 
pair appears on the plate which accompanies this article. 
A pair of Green-naped Lorikeets, in faultless condition 
were amongst the birds which testified to the valuable qualities of 
the " B.C." food, now well-known and associated with the name 
of mj host, but of all the pollen-eating species — the " brush- 
tongued " Lories and Lorikeets of the ornithologist — the species 
which interested me most was the " Yellow-backed " or Ceram 
Lory. From the time I saw these birds, in the possession of our 
esteemed member, Mrs. K. Leslie Miller, they had been prime 
favourites with me, and although something of the glamour had 
worn off these birds, as a species new to me, when I saw the speci- 
mens at Swindon, probably if I had had my choice of all the birds 
in that room, the Ceram Lories would have been those that I 
should have chosen. The male especially was a beautiful deep 
scarlet-breasted fellow, as interesting in his ways as these charm- 
ing birds generally are ; they have been well called the monkeys 
of the parrot tribe. 
Probably the most " out-of-the-way " bird in the whole 
series, was the Indian Nuthatch, a smaller and deeper coloured 
species than our own, and quite as interesting in his habits. His 
cage was placed right in the middle of the room and the artificial 
lights were not convenient, but with his characteristic considera- 
