About 
Foreign Birds. 
(fo) THE BIRD WORLD. 
in perfect condition, should be able to 
make the present winners stand back. 
In a class for Budgerigars, Love¬ 
birds, etc., the Rosy-faced Love-birds 
generally take the lead, followed by a 
pair of Yellow Budgerigars. Anybody 
who wants to be in front of the times 
should secure a pair of Hanging Parra- 
keets. These, I think, should be 
eligible to compete in this class, and 
would create a sensation on the show 
bench. 
The Small Seed Eaters. 
The next class at our shows is for seed 
eaters, and this class is generally the 
best-filled in the Foreign section, and the 
competition, as a consequence, is keen. 
Here will be found Whydahs, Weavers, 
Grassfinches, Mannikins, and Waxbills. 
A good pair of the rare and beautiful 
Violet-eared Waxbills would undoubtedly 
take the lead, if such were forthcoming, 
but I am not aware of any of these 
having yet been exhibited in the land of 
cakes. However, we never know what 
to expect, but I predict laurels for the 
first party who shows a perfect pair, and 
they can now be obtained if one is willing 
to thrust the hand deep enough into the 
pocket. A good pair of Parrot Finches 
can almost be counted a certainty for 
securing the red ticket to hide behind. 
They are pretty birds in their green and 
red, and are by no means cheap or easy 
to obtain. The demand is vastly in 
excess of the supply, and I could fill 
pages about the disappointments I met 
with before I obtained a pair. 
Within the last six months a few pairs 
have been imported, but the price has 
been maintained. A good pair of Red 
Gouldians will always bid well for first 
honours in this class, but one seldom 
sees a pair exhibited. The female seems 
to be much rarer than the male, and is 
apparently more difficult to keep in con¬ 
dition, so the little gentleman has often 
to stand the contest unsupported. The 
Gouldians are grand birds for exhibition. 
Their rich colours are so clearly cut and 
so beautifully blended, whilst they are 
so steady, that it is difficult for a 'judge 
to get past them. The Black-headed 
Gouldian has generally to play second 
fiddle to the Red. He is beaten by his 
red-headed brother, becomes the victim 
of circumstances, and, being in a mixed 
class, often gets left out altogether. 
Gouldians are quite hardy when acclima¬ 
tised, but when first imported they shuffle 
off this mortal coil with such apparent 
ease that one sometimes wonders whether 
they are not as much celestial as terres¬ 
trial. After those I have mentioned, you 
are never sure what may find favour, but 
a good pair of Bichenos, Rufus Tails, or 
Diamond Finches will generally stand a 
good chance. 
The Whydahs and Weavers are also 
handsome, but as a rule have to take a 
back seat in such good company. The 
2 iebra Finch and the Waxbills are often 
represented among the exhibits, but 
although charming in an aviary, they are 
usually passed unnoticed on the show 
bench. 
Favourite Soft Bills. 
In the soft-billed and fruit-eating class 
a good Tanager often leads off, and a 
good Superb is a show in itself, as it 
hops from perch to perch, the light re¬ 
flecting on its wonderful plumage of 
green and blue and gold. I have seen 
a Golden-fronted Fruit Sucker do a lot 
of winning in this class, and a Glossy 
Starling or a Black-throated Cardinal 
should also score well, but a Silver-eared 
Mesia, if it puts in an appearance, would 
take the shine off them all. A good 
Shama is sometimes shown, but cannot 
be counted on winning, and a Pekin 
Robin may as well be kept at home. 
On Staging or Showing. 
The staging of Foreign birds so that 
they will look their best is also of much 
importance. In the British section this 
has been reduced to a fine art, and we 
have only to look at the birds and cages 
of British bird exhibitors to learn enough 
for our purpose. The box-pattern cage 
answers best for all small birds, and only 
in the Parrot classes is a deviation from 
this admissible, and even with them it is 
best. Foreign birds have generally the 
honour of being staged on a table in the 
centre of the show-room, where people 
get round about, and the box cage partly 
ensures the little privacy they are justly 
entitled to. Many of the exhibits are 
shown with the inside of the cages 
