A^'iary A^oics from the United States. 7 



if one happens to discover some new species, and the inclination 

 to visit tlie l)ird stores in the hope that they may have something' 

 new is one of the principal incenti\es to keeping' birds. 



T imagine in our Zoological Park here we have one of the 

 best collections in the world, though they lose a great many, as 

 I he b'Liilding" is designed solely to afford the pul)lic a good view 

 of the birds and with little regard for their health. They feed 

 theni careftdly enough, but they lack fresh air and the change o; 

 scene that they have in an aviary that allows them to fly outside 

 and in for at least seven months of the year. If I was building 

 it. I would build for the birds and not for the jniblic. Mine are 

 still flying outdoors if they wish to, though the most of them 

 come in at night. T ha\e yet to find that the cold ever killed one 

 of the parrot family, though I have lost a number of South 

 American Tanagers and such birds as the Long-tailed Indian 

 Drongo in the fall during the moult. These latter certainly 

 need heat and one ought to have a separate aviary for them. 



Can birds read your minds ? I have a Grey Parrot that 

 we have had for twenty-five years. If you put a piece of cake 

 or something he likes in your pocket and come into the room, 

 he seems to know it, though he cannot possibly see or smell it. 

 He has an odd little cluck that he gives on these occasions. The 

 coincidence has occurred often enough to make one believe he 

 has some way of sensing it- He scarcely ever utters a disagree- 

 able sound, while another one that lived two or three years in 

 the aviary has become so proficient in unearthly noises that I 

 fear my better half will send him back to the aviary soon. It is 

 odd the old bird never copies him. He is contented to say 

 shut up," " stop your noise," and if he happens to fly on to|) 

 of his cage will endeavour to nip his toes, and at the same time 

 say " don't you bite, don't you bite." The door of his cage 

 is always open, but he rarely comes out. and then only to go to 

 the top to test his wings by a vigorous flapping", not letting go 

 of the wires. howe\'er. He will not fly off it unless frightened. 

 How totally different is the life of this bird from that of h'- 

 ancestors, and how unhappy he would be to be restored to his 

 native stirroundings. The companionship of human beings is 



