164 Foreign Birds 



pation and liver disease. Willi other soft-billed birds, which 

 should require a large number of insects to keep them in good 

 health, we again labour under our inability to supply them with 

 natural food — yet soft-billed birds, generally, are not more diffi- 

 cult to keep in captivity than fruit-eaters proper. Some may 

 find the reverse to be the case, in fact; but just consider for a 

 moment what we offer most to these species: fruit. correct : 

 bullock's liver, scraped beef, bread, potato, grated carrot, egij;. 

 and sometimes a heterogeneous mass of heaven knows what, 

 called " Insectivorous food!" If from the latter we subtract 

 a few dried flies and some ants " eggs " or cocoons, how much 

 of the foregoing can the birds obtain in a state of liberty ? 



The longevity of our pets in captivity is of course con- 

 siderably influenced by their constitution when captured, and 

 general hardiness as a species. Climatic conditions, while guid- 

 ing us in their treatment, are by no means an infallible test as to 

 the amount of heat or cold a given bird will stand with health 

 and safety to itself. To the uninitiated it is a matter of surprise 

 to be told, when seeing a bird in good condition, that its original 

 home w^as in tropical Africa, or the forests of South America. 

 And perhaps few of us realise wdiat an immense difference 

 exists in a bird's mode of life when transported from such a 

 land to a small prison in our bleak island. 



And now first let me pass to the other and perhaps more 

 popular side of a bird's nature, viz., its individuality. To the 

 vast majority of people, who are not aviculturists. a bird is 

 simply a bird. To those, however, who find keen enjoyment in 

 the company of birds, they are personal creatures, each with 

 ideas and manners peculiar to itself. To thoroughly grasp and 

 appreciate this fact needs a close and watchful eye on their 

 actions; and in a large aviary, containing a proportionate num- 

 ber of birds, it is almost an impossibility to learn their respect- 

 ive characteristics, unless one has special reasons to single out 

 and mark the doings of any particular specimen. But if, owing 

 to circumstances or choice, some have their pets in their own 

 rooms, this pleasant feature of bird life is easily and quickly 

 noted. Each have their little traits which are often sufficient to 

 distinguish them from their cage-mates. Of course in some 



