158



Mr. Webb's Collection from the Cameroons



was, no doubt, used in a similar sense when a Bill to prevent dog- and

cock-fighting was suggested. I would stop any amusement when

it involved cruelty.


In New Zealand birds can only be imported by the Avicultural

Society, and much the same should be done here on an extended scale :

an official could easily be paid out of the profit arising out of the dis¬

tributing of the birds. On the other hand, Parrots could be imported

to people such as the Keston Bird Farm, Ltd., who seem to make

a success of the breeding of the rarer Parrots. Birds bred from such

wild-caught stock would be strong and free from in-breeding.



MR. WEBB’S COLLECTION FROM THE

CAMEROONS


Mr. Webb returned from the French Cameroons at the end of

April with a wonderful collection of birds, most of which were seen for

the first time as living specimens in this country. Ceratogymna atrata,

a medium-sized black Hornbill with blue wattles, is a curious and

interesting form. Three specimens of Ispidina picta picta, a lovely,

small insectivorous Kingfisher, were perhaps as beautiful and as inter¬

esting as anything in the collection. Mr. Webb imported the sub-species

from Portuguese East Africa a few years ago. A small Tinker Barbet,

Gogoniulius leucolamia leucolamia, was certainly new to this country.

The Gaboon Forest Bo bin, Stiphrornis erythrothorax ' erythrothorax,

belonging to a genus no member of which has reached this country

before, was perhaps the most exciting form from the purely ornithological

point of view. Systematists are not agreed upon the true position of

this genus, for by some it is considered nearly allied to the Sylviidce,

while others are inclined to place it in the Turdidce. It is to be hoped

that whoever has the chance of observing its habits in confinement

will put on record any points which may help to show more clearly

its real relationship. Two Bush Shrikes of different genera, Laniarius

luhderi and Malaconolus cruentus gabonensis, were both very attractive,

the former more particularly on account of its tameness, curious calls,



