78 Practical Bird Keeping.—A New Departure.


scientific knowledge. Scientists are realising more and more

that, if research work on certain problems is to be carried out

with any degree of thoroughness, the study of living things

must play a very important part in their investigations. The

living things most ordinarily used for study are, of course, plants

and insects, these being the easiest to keep and work at, but

there are many important problems which require other material,

both for original and corroborative work, and it is here that birds

and bird-keeping can play such an important part.


In a minor degree, the very study of the art of how to

keep different species alive and healthy is of distinct value, as

this information will save many a disappointment and much loss

of valuable time and money to the scientist who decides to keep

birds for scientific ends ; but there is much more open to the

keeper of birds, even if his scientific knowledge is negative or

scanty. He can at least make accurate notes on the lives of his

birds, on their moult, their breeding habits, date and length of

incubation, mode of feeding young, length of life, etc., not to

mention the hundred and one little habits peculiar to both

species and individuals.


These notes may seem to be of little value by themselves,

but if they are all recorded in a common journal they then

become of untold service to the academic scientists who find in

them corroboration or otherwise of some natural law.


It is strange that the term “ scientific ” should prove so

alarming to the ordinary lay mind, and not only alarming, but,

in some instances, undesirable. I am sometimes amused at the

zest with which some members, who forward me copy, hasten to

say “ Not in the least scientific.” They are often right, but, at

the same time, why should they not be scientific? In this case,

what does it amount to ? Simply to accurate records of accurate

facts, if possible with some understanding on the part of the

writer of what these facts point to. But this latter is not

essential, though, when there, it is apt to make the whole

difference to the interest and business of bird-keeping; when

there to any extent, and when added to it there is a certain

amount of scientific knowledge, then you get your scientific

aviculturist—a man or woman greatly to be envied of all men,



