PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES 51 



of the aviary. Another very brilliantly plumaged bird of 

 the pigeon family is the green and gold Nicobar pigeon ; 

 but this bird has no attraction, except the brilliancy of its 

 plumage ; it is sluggish, and often remains crouching under 

 a bush for hours together. 



" Some fine purple porphyries, or water-hens, with red 

 beaks and legs, are pretty sure to attract notice ; the birds 

 of this family now in the aviary are from Cochin China. 



" We have four species of ibis : the brilliant scarlet ibis 

 from South America, the black and white sacred ibis from 

 the Upper Nile, the Australian ibis that very closely 

 resembles it, and a small flock of the European glossy 

 ibis. These last-named birds were sent to me from Spain ; 

 and it may amuse some of you to hear that in the winter 

 of 1892 I sent out a list of birds to an agent in Seville, 

 who has for some years been in the habit of collecting 

 live birds for me. In making out this list, I wrote opposite 

 to the Spanish name of the glossy ibis (which is not in 

 most seasons a very common bird in Andalucia), two 

 Spanish words that might be liberally translated as meaning 

 ' a good many.' My amazement may be imagined when I 

 inform you that, in June 1893, I heard from my agent 

 aforesaid that he had ninety-five of these birds awaiting 

 my orders ! I told him that I did not want more than 

 twenty or thirty at the outside, but he nevertheless shipped 

 sixty of them from Gibraltar, all of which were landed 

 alive and in good condition in London, and twelve of 

 them forwarded to Lilford. These birds have a very 



