Correspondence.



129



The old Kestrel’s Aviary has been re-named the “ Crescent

Aviary.” It has been partially stocked with Budgerigars and

Black-checked Lovebirds, and later it is hoped to add several

other species of Parrakeets.


Mr. Pauwels has most kindly presented the Society with

one of his celebrated blue Budgerigars and has promised a mate

for it of the same variety. At present the rara avis, a hen,

occupies a large cage in the Parrot House with a mate of the

normal colour.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.



SHAMA CATCHING FISH.


Sir,—I think the following occurrence is rather unusual and so am

sending a brief account of it on to you.


Some time ago I procured some minnows and other small frogs for a

Kingfisher I had, but which unfortunately drowned itself, I fancy, through

hitting it’s head on the bottom of the tank which contained the fish.


I should feel very much obliged if some member who has kept these

birds would inform me whether the tank containing the fish should be

deep or very shallow.


When the Kingfisher met its fate I had still a number of these fish

left, which I kept in a fair-sized glass aquarium in a storeroom attached to

my aviaries.


One day, whilst I was in this store room, I noticed a Sliaina which I

possess, and which often follows me into it on the lookout for titbits, sitting

on the edge of the aquarium eyeing the fish with evident interest.


I did not take much notice of him at the time, but soon afterwards

was very surprised to see him fly off to a shelf with a fish in his beak and

then proceed to quickly despatch it with a few blows on the head, after

which he devoured it piecemeal with relish. After this I supplied him with

two or three fish every morning as long as the supply lasted, sometimes in

a shallow and sometimes in a deep receptacle, and it was most interesting

to observe the extraordinary skill with which he secured the fish with equal

ease from the one or the other.


I11 the case of a shallow vessel being used, he would either chase the

fish until he came up with it, when he never failed to secure it at the first

attempt, or else he would jump boldly into the water and secure the fish as

it dashed past him. In the case of a deep vessel being used, he would sit

quite motionless at the edge until an unwary fish approached the surface,

when he was on it like a flash and seldom failed to secure it, often plunging

his head well under the water in the effort.



