Editorial. 
301 
cock prepares the food aud gives it to the hen, wiio passes it 
to the young — but the chief diUiculty I have liad with the 
Shamas, has been, that although the cock is a most devout 
parent while the birds are young, he kills his sons when they 
are grown. He killed a perfect cock, a beautiful songster, a 
last year's bird, pluckuig every feather from its head a few 
weeks since. The Shamas allowed me to help to build the 
nest, and permitted me to assist them in feeding the young, 
both often standing by and watching me put the insect into the 
gaping mouth of their young, never exhibiting the least 
fear or anger. The Pekiu Robuis are very interesting to 
watch, the hen never leaves the nest till the cock comes and 
takes her place, and he sits till she returns. I lost the young 
Pekins ownig to being away at the critical time — three or four 
days old— and the parents not getting regular supplies of live 
food. The Bulbuls built four nests, hatching out the two eggs 
laid each time and rearing the young. 
The above notes are of great interest and we trust 
Mrs. Mahon will send us a full account of her successes, 
which are of permanent interest. 
The Importation of Foreign Birds : To try and do 
somethhig to lessen the loss among new arrivals, our esteemed 
Hon. Business Secretary, Mr. H. Willford, has been buying 
up various consignments of Tanagers on arrival at a certain 
port, and is retaining them in his large and hygienic aviaries 
and birdrooms till the critical period has passed — consequently 
the birds which will be sent out have a reasonable pi'ospect 
of surviving and doing well. Of course, it will be obvious that 
Mr. Willford can only continue to do this if he receives the 
support of members, and those interested in Tanagers and 
Sugar Birds should write to him for a list, and thus assist him 
in his lunijuue project. Mr. Willford is expecting a consign- 
ment of rare species to be privately brought over in the 
near future. 
Green Singing Finches: Our esteemed member, Mr. 
H. W. Mathias, has a pair of these birds busily incubating 
a clutch of eggs, also a pair of Cordon Bleus engaged in a 
similar manner. This season has not been so successful with 
him as the past one. Mr. Matthias is also a successful carna- 
tion grower, and has had, a very successful season at the various 
