THE TUTI 267 



racks and huts. These birds come 

 from bird-catchers and often direct from 

 the nests when very young. The ordi- 

 nary Indian is a good judge of birds 

 and appreciates merit when found. So, 

 we find the Tuti — a perfectly lovely bird 

 like a 'red, red rose' — to be as popular 

 with the artisans and labourinof classes of 

 this country as the canary is in England. 

 The Tuti is a bird with possibilities. By 

 means of artificial selection, more beautiful 

 or completely scarlet types may possibly 

 be produced, as has been done with the 

 finches and canaries in Europe. But in 

 India the bird-lover is not a fancier in 

 the English sense of the word. He is 

 not willing to take the trouble of in- 

 ducing his pets to breed under his care. 

 He would hardly believe, if told, that 

 many birds breed in captivity under 

 favourable conditions. The production of 

 hybrids and mules is altogether beyond 

 his imas^ination. But considerino; how 

 adaptible the Tuti is, it is strange that 



