BIRD NEWS 



ing for a bath. 1 gave it a dish 

 of water; its feet being so small 

 and the dish so slippery it could not 

 stand, I placed a bit of moss in the 

 water and putting the wee one on 

 it, it began to flutter its wings, send- 

 ing the water in tiny snowers, and 

 calling its mate to join in the glee. 

 After washing, they perched them- 

 selves on the centre-bar of tiie win- 

 dow in the sunshine, dressing their 

 feathers, stretching themselves on 

 thier sides and acting as though quite 

 well taught, and all from bird in- 

 tuition, as they had never known a 

 mother since leaving the parent nest. 

 They were very apt in learning and 

 fond of caresses allowing me to 

 stroke them and turning their heads 

 to one side as if listening to my 

 words. 



My pets were three months old, 

 when a friend came to see me, as 

 we sat chatting, the smaller one, and 

 brighter of the two, alighted on her 

 head, and remained until I called it, 

 and as it flew to my lips for sugar, 

 finding none, hastened to its cage, as 

 it was alighting, its companion who 

 was at the cup, gave it a sharp 

 pick on the head which stunned the 

 little fellow, and it dropped to the 

 floor. I picked it up and placed it 

 on the perch by the food, it would 

 not eat, and seemed dazed like, dy- 

 ing on the following day. The re- 

 maning one went from room to room, 

 callng most pitifully for its mate, 

 and refused to eat, and after the 

 second day it died. Indeed, I can 

 not tell how much we missed our 

 pets, for every day we had learned 

 something new and strange in their 

 habits and hitherto unknown ways, 

 their happy, chirpy notes, quick 

 flights, sporting with each other, 

 their morning baths and winsome 

 manner were as a golden ray of sun- 

 shine to brighten our every day life 

 of cares, and I am just human enough 



to say I missed my little friends and 

 mourned for them, many and many 

 a summer day. 



(This charming little story was 

 dictated by a dear, old lady already 

 within the allotted span, but genial, 

 bright and lovable. We know of no 

 great favor than to sit with her, up- 

 on her rose embowered porch and 

 listen to her delightful bird stories, 

 as she relates from her long years of 

 close observation. — Ed. B. N. ) 



COMMERCIAL FEATHER "BREED- 

 ING." 

 OSTRICH FARMING. 



The commercial advantage of 

 "keeping birds" is well illustrated 

 by the great care which has recently 

 been given to ostrich farming in the 

 Transvaal. Through the official 

 journal we find that special study is 

 being given to the various plants, 

 wild and domesticated, which are 

 suitable as food for the great birds. 

 The ostrich farmer is now finding 

 out, what every old cage bird fan- 

 cier has known for many years, viz., 

 that different birds produce great 

 variation in the style and class of 

 feather. Further, the power of pro- 

 ducing good feathers seems clearly 

 to be an inherited character. High 

 class plumage cannot be produced 

 from birds of poor quality. The 

 "strain" in ostrichs is now being the 

 standard of selection, and will be 

 given primary attention, just as we 

 have seen don by the wise ones, 

 when they would follow up the 

 "breeding" of some noted "family" 

 of Yorkshires or Clear Buffs. At a 

 recent Edinburgh first flight show, 

 two choice specimens of a "family 

 strain" of canaries exchanged own- 

 ers for the sum of $500. The strong 

 race characteristics had been so in- 

 bred that breeders could confidently 

 expect the type to be perpetuated. 



