279 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 5, 1861. 
black and pied varieties, one of the former belonging to Mr. 
H. W. Whitaker, and the latter to Miss Ida Verner. 
Our favourite Blackbird was well represented. A pied 
variety, No. 219, was very highly commended, and No. 215, with 
a white throat, was a noble bird, and highly commended. There 
was also a very peculiarly and beautifully coloured little bird 
belonging to the Hon. A. D. Willoughby, stated to be a Mule 
between the Canary and Bullfinch ; likewise a very fine hybrid 
between the male Goldfinch and hen Bullfinch belonging to Mr. 
E. Hawkins, which obtained a prize. 
Most of the British Birds were very fine in feather, and prove 
that with proper attention our little songsters, although in cap¬ 
tivity, can be kept in as fine a condition as when at large. 
The Foreign Birds were unusually fine, some of the Parrots 
*.nd Cockatoos being very beautiful both in plumage and form. 
Two magnificent specimens of the Parrot tribe from the South 
Sea Islands and Western Australia respectively, were very much 
admired for their elegance of form and beauty, and attracted 
great attention. 
The show of Canaries did not appear to be so numerous as on 
the previous Exhibitions, but were of a very superior quality. 
Mr. E. Hawkins, of Bear Street, Leicester Square, was the 
greatest contributor, and was well rewarded for his skill and care 
by obtaining the largest amount of prizes. 
The competition on the whole was more extensive than on 
former occasions, and the sale of several of the birds proved the 
admiration with which they had been regarded.—N. G. 
Amongst so numerous a collection, embracing as it did nearly 
a thousand specimens, it would be very difficult to mention any 
one class in particular, as all deserved general commendation. 
The Collection of Canaries were good, especially the Norwich 
classes. Of the London Fancy and Lizard classes too much 
cannot be said in commendation. They must have been seen by 
a true fancier to appreciate their quality. Some of the Belgian 
birds were good, and showed a decided improvement from the 
coarse-feathered birds so often shown as Belgian birds: The 
fanciers are beginning to find that by really good judges the 
birds of position only are prized. 
In the distinct varieties were some very beautifully variegated 
Norwich birds, and a distinct specimen of the pure St. Helena 
Canary, which deserved especial notice. 
The classes of Mules were very meritorious, and showed great 
judgment in producing such beautiful birds. They were 
generally admired. 
There was also a variegated Bullfinch entered as a Mule, 
which, in reality, was not so, although much to be admired. 
The Foreign Birds were both rare and beautiful, and in 
abundance. Among them were some very rare and fine speci¬ 
mens of Macaws, and the still more rare South Sea Island 
Parrot, and mealy Roselle Parrot of Sydney. 
Mr. Hawkins, whose name figures so prominently in the prize 
list, contributed largely to the Exhibition of foreign birds. All 
deserve the highest commendation. 
The British Birds were much admired, and added much to 
the interest of the Exhibition, as many were there that the 
visitors had never seen in cages before. 
Some variegated Crows caused great attraction. The Black¬ 
birds and Thrushes were in excellent condition, and showed an 
improvement in the condition to former years. The Nightingales 
were also in the best possible condition, but we regret the sound 
of their voices was not heard, although with the notes of other 
sweet warblers the Palace echoed. 
Too much cannot be said in praise of the Secretary, Mr. 
Houghton. He wa3 indefatigable in his attention to the com¬ 
forts of the birds. The cages were arranged up the centre of the 
tropical-temperature part of the Palace, and the beauty of the 
flowers and the evergreens added much to the attractions. It 
was a treat long to be remembered.— T. Moore, one of the 
Judges. 
MANAGEMENT OF THE GREY PARROT. 
In answer to a “Constant Subscriber,” I beg <o inform 
him, that having kept the Grey Parrot for eight or nine years, I 
have found the following diet to answer in every way—viz , 
Canary seed, dry bread, plain biscuits, a little tapioca or sago 
pudding, an occasional white peppercorn or two, a total ex¬ 
clusion of meat, bones, or anything the least greasy or salt, a 
plentiful supply of clean water, and some bread dipped, not 
soaked, in milk occasionally. My bird never picks its feathers 
off, and is always in good health. They require to be kept warm. 
As to its breeding in this country I cannot speak. Andrews, of 
the Pantheon conservatory, Oxford Street, says it does not breed 
in a state of domestication.—A Parrot-keeper. 
MEMORIAL FROM A MULE CANARY. 
My dear Mr. Editor, —Knowing you are a friend to huma¬ 
nity and a lover of the feathered tribe, as well as the flowers of 
the garden and the herbs of the field, will you permit a poor 
little bird to send you a short account of his present distress ? 
and should you recommend any remedy which might effect a cure, 
I would sing you one of the prettiest songs ever warbled by a 
bird of my species—no mean kind, for I am a Goldfinch Mule: 
My father was a Goldfinch and my mother a Jonque Canary. 
As editors and poets, and men of learning and women of fame, 
cannot help sometimes singing their own praises, perhaps I may 
be allowed to warble a little song in praise of myself. My beauty 
consists in the variety of my colours and the regularity with 
which they are arranged, every feather of each wing being alike. 
My breast is a light brown, the lower feathers of my wings pure 
white, and my tail, if possible, whiter. My little feet are black, 
my beak just like my feathers, and my eyes resemble those of my 
mother. I have the peculiar side-to-side movement of the former, 
and the full melodious voice of the latter. But now comes the 
sad part of my tale. 
I was to have been exhibited on the 11th of last month at the 
Southampton Bird Show ; indeed, matters had gone so far, that 
my entry was made. A small cage had been prepared for me, 
and so careful were they over me, that a bird-keeper was sent for 
to take me out of the aviary cage. Of course, I resisted, and 
the more his large hand pursued me, the higher I flew. At last 
he caught me, and, alas ! alas ! one of my poor little wings from 
some cause or other got injured, and so the only figure I made 
at the Exhibition was—my name among the entries. 
Now, my dear Mr. Editor, can you or any of your kind- 
hearted readers tell me what to do? At first my perches were 
taken away, but that did no good, for I flew about the cage and 
made my wing worse. Then I was taken out in the hand and 
laid upon my back and a bit of string tied round both wings to 
keep the injured one down, but that was not to be borne for a 
moment, and with my beak and claws I soon put an end to that. 
My appetite is excellent, I enjoy my chopped eggs and seed and 
apple, sing as well as ever, only the lower part of my right wing 
stands up day and night, but no part is broken because I can 
stretch it quite out as well as the other. Do you think it is a 
strain or sprain, Mr. Editor ? I am not a juvenile—four years 
and a half old, so, perhaps, there is less hope of a cure, even if 
any could be recommended. 
I am more emboldened to write to you, my dear Sir, because 
some months since a Spanish cock wrote you a letter about his 
adventures, which certainly did him great credit. My history 
is a remarkable one, and should you wish to have it, rnultum in 
varvo. let me know, and believe me—Your grateful little sufferer, 
Hybrid. 
[We shall be glad of a reply from any practitioner to this 
memorial, and we shall most readily publish both that and the 
proffered biography.—E ds. C. G.j 
MORTALITY AMONG BEES. 
The wet summer of I860 being followed by so severe a winter, 
has proved most disastrous to bee-keepers. I, myself, had the 
mortification on the 27tli of January*, of finding a dead queen 
(fortunately not a Ligurian), on the floor-board of one ol my 
hives. The loss of one out of a dozen stocks is, however, trifling 
compared with the general destruction around me. “ All dead,” 
varied occasionally with, “ only one left,” is the almost in¬ 
variable reply to all inquiries alter bees. Nor am I disposed to 
imagine this misfortune by any means peculiar to the west of 
England. A friend who writes to me from a distant county 
gays—“ We have had a sad season for apiarian pursuits this 
year. 1860 will be of gloomy remembrance in the calendar of 
• On this day I saw the first load of pollen carried in by Ligurian as 
well as common bees. Mr. A • Neighbour tells me lie saw his Ligurian 
bees at Dorking collecting pollen on the same day 
