Notes oj a Bird-keeper in Liguria. 95


NOTES OF A BIRD-KEEPER IN LIGURIA.


By G. A. M.


Rats in hordes and field mice have invaded the sea-board

all this year. From everywhere the same lamentation. Dozens

were trapped and scores poisoned on these premises, bnt exclude

them from the aviaries we could not. Hence I found, on return¬

ing in October, that most of my small fowl lived only in memory,

and even such as large as a Redwing, Blue Thrush, an historic

Song Thrush, a pair of perfect Rock Thrushes, a Greater Spotted

Woodpecker and a Water Rail had succumbed to the foul rodent,

and the survivors had been caged indoors. Some veiled notice

to be prepared for grief had come in the gardener’s letters. The

Italian has not the English domestic’s exultant pessimism, he

tells you what he thinks will please; so that Giacomo’s written

assurance that tutto va diseretamente bene” implied a boding

reservation.


By chance I brought out a stronger than usual contingent

of Northern birds from England. And these are always my

favourites. They help to bend the exile to his fate in this

country where inveterate persecution makes it difficult to observe

any feathered creature. The breath of grey skies and subdued

harmonies these homely birds bring, is grateful and inspiriting

in the sun-tyranny of the South ; and a chamber knowledge of

our wild creatures complements our outdoor knowledge of them,

and helps complete it.


Although Italy yields a wider supply than England, the

rarer sorts are not easier to come by alive. The native birds

are kept (and very badly kept) mostly by the poorer people for

use as decoys. As cagelings, Rock Thrush and Blue Thrush are

fully appreciated, but they must be hand-reared to thrive and

become tame. Both command a relatively high price, from

twelve to twenty lire, whereas I have secured a Bluethroat for

eight and a Chough with cage for ten.


My last Nightingale recently hopped his final twig, but

long he so ruled me that one summer I took him with me 011

my travels. He did not entreat me altogether well on that

occasion, for, although he had sung discreetly at home from



