THE BIRD WORLD. 
Impressions of the 
Palace Show. 
( 92 ) 
Some Rare Foreigners. 
A pair of the rare Rufous-backed Mannikins, 
new to the show bench, were shown, and cer¬ 
tainly should not have had to put up with a 
V.H.C. The Japanese Tits were also, I heard, 
new to shows, but a good many have been over 
long ago. The well-known Copper-head or Black- 
backed Tanager was on view in good form, but 
had to go below a beautiful Yellow-winged 
Sugar-bird, a species not so often seen as it ought 
to be, considering it is not a delicate bird. Speci¬ 
mens of the Hill-Mynah and the Ceylon form of 
the House-Mynah were on view, both talkers, it 
was said; the former, at any rate, frequently 
obliged bystanders with remarks, and caused 
much amusement. 
Foreign Hybrids. 
The foreign hybrid class had seven entries, 
though one bird evidently got in by mistake; it 
was supposed to be a Zebra-Finch—Indian Silver- 
bill hybrid—but was most unmistakably merely a 
cock Combassou. The Red-mantled Parrakeet 
was particularly interesting, as being the only 
specimen of this Rosella-Pennant cross known to 
have been taken in the wild state, and well de¬ 
served its premier position. 
On the whole, interesting as the show was, it 
gave one the impression that the British, and 
still more the foreign, section, have a lot to do 
before they can come up with the perennial 
Canary. 
The Black*backed Tanager. 
A well-known Winner, belonging to Mr. S. M. Townsend. 
This Tanager is remarkable for its graceful shape and has very beautiful colouring, the head being copper-coloured, 
the shoulders pale yellow, and the under-surface sea green, all with a wonderful gloss. 
