316



J. E. Sweetnam—Notes from a Berkshire Aviary



Moluccas Friar-bird, Philemon moluccensis (Gm.).—One at the

Frankfort Zoo in 1913, teste Neunzig, p. 115. I do not think ever

imported elsewhere.


The “ Friar-bird ” or “ Leatherhead ” of Australia, Tropido-

rhynchus corniculatus (Lath.).—Zoo. No. 614. Berlin Zoo, 1895, teste

Neunzig.


Cockerell’s Friar-bird, Neophilemon novaeguineae eockerelli


(Gld.).—Neunzig (p. 114) says : “ Dr. Heinroth got two young birds

which . . . lived to reach the Berlin Zoo in 1901. One was still alive in

1913.” This species inhabits New Britain ; N. n. novaeguineae (Muller)

from New Guinea and Waigiou has not yet been imported, I think.


Silvery-crowned Friar-bird, N. argenticeps (Gld.).—Zoo. No. 615.

Payne and Wallace brought four in 1908 and three of them were still

alive in 1913 (B.N., vii, 97 ; 1913, 208). In 1920 there were two Friar-

birds in the Zoo, which I think were this species, and others have been

there more recently. Habitat: North Australia.


The Yellow Honey-eater, Broadbentia jlava (Gld.) is said to have

been imported, but Neunzig says “ doubtful ”. Two other species (and

probably others) have been kept in Australian aviaries ; these are

Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera (Lath.), the Crescent Honey-eater, and

Myzomela dibapha (Lath.), the Sanguineous H., or “ Blood-bird ”.


I conclude by mentioning that “ Neunzig ” above refers to that

author’s Die Fremdldndische Stubenvogel, 1923. Aviculture, vol. i,

deals with the family, but only to the extent of two pages. Any

additions to this list will be welcome as a help to completeness.



NOTES FROM A BERKSHIRE AVIARY


By Prebendary J. E. Sweetnam


Articles written for the Magazine about this time in recent years

have been headed “ Breeding Notes from a Somerset Aviary ”. That

I have but little breeding to “ note ” this year may be partly due to

the removal of my considerably reduced breeding stock from the

milder climate of Taunton to unfinished aviaries here, at Enborne,

Newbury ; but the winter-like spring and autumn-like summer were



