" Osprey v Farming 



Calcutta Zoo in 1879, and lived more than 

 twenty years after that. 



" Hannibal Chollop," as I used to call the 

 bird, since his motto appeared to be "two feet 

 in a circular direction is all that I require," had 

 been rather a bloodthirsty individual before I 

 knew him, and had accounted for several other 

 birds in his time ; but he improved with age, 

 and his last years were guiltless of blood. He 

 bore a splendid bunch of plumes every year, 

 and, considering his longevity, might have set 

 up a lady in aigrettes for her whole life. Indeed, 

 it was acquaintance with him that gave me the 

 idea that an egret farm would be a paying con- 

 cern even if the birds did not breed. 



This large egret is found as near us as southern 

 and south-eastern Europe, and could probably be 

 had through the dealers who import Hungarian 

 partridges in such large numbers. As the demand 

 is so limited the birds would be expensive to buy, 

 probably as much as ^5 a head ; but if they 

 became a more regular article of trade they 

 would no doubt come cheaper, for birds seldom 

 kept are always dear. 



Young birds should be procured to start with, 



as old ones would probably bear captivity with a 



very bad grace, like the common heron, which is 



apt to refuse food when captured adult. Four 



may be found in a nest, and they might be 



119 



