ORIGINS/HISTORY


In many European countries ‘Japanese’ appears in the name, as it describes the origin of the first birds imported into Europe. London Zoo is identified as having received the first imports, when in 1860 they purchased two white Bengalese. In addition to white Bengalese, chocolate & white, and fawn & white soon became available. As none of these varieties resemble wild Lonchura species, it is understandable that the origin was not clear. In 1922, an article on Japanese Aviculture written by N. Taka-Tsukasa


Pink-Eyed White – an albino mutation


in the Aviculture Society Magazine included information on the Bengalese finch where he identified that imports occurred from China to Japan some 200 years earlier. I am not alone in speculating that the first examples actually had white markings, and this set the birds apart from other species. Japanese are reported as being very keen on white birds; they established the White Java Finch. It is common for white or pied mutations to occur in many species naturally; the British Natural History museum has many examples.


18 BIRD SCENE


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