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Mr. C. Barnby Smith,



troublesome, but the Cambayans will not get quite tame. I

think, if it is possible—but of course one is apt to lose one’s

birds—it is far more interesting to have pet-birds free than caged,

and to be able to watch their natural ways; and I find many

birds prefer to stay in or near their cage—provided it is made a

home to them and not a prison—to taking their liberty.


But for this they must be made very tame and have real

attachment to their owner. A Blue Thrush I had for some years

got out of his cage and flew across the garden into an orchard

and over to a little wood, then back again over the garden and

house to a grove beyond. Of course I gave him up for lost.

Next day he appeared at a bedroom window, and hopped in on

to a pin-cushion, where he stood bowing, as if to say “ Here I am

again ! ” He was overjoyed to see his cage and hurried back

into it.


I should imagine the Blue-bearded Cuban Dove (Slanuznas

cyanocephala ) to be one of the most beautiful of all doves, but

I have never seen it.



“A TRIPLE ALLIANCE.”


Bv C. Barnby Smith.


Lack of space (which of course is a polite euphemism for

limited means) compels me to keep my Cayenne Spur-winged

Plover (Vanellus cayennensis') in a miserably small aviary,

measuring only about nine yards by two yards. Nevertheless in

this restricted space they have flourished and nested and seem

quite happy. The Cayenne Plover, apart from the interesting

spurs on the wings, quite suggests a coarsely made native Lapwing

with a fierce red eye. The plumage, however, is very beautiful.


The wing-spur, which varies in length considerably in

different birds, is usually only noticeable when the wings are

stretched and is said (and no doubt correctly) to be used for the

purpose of defence and attack. I have never seen a blow actually

struck with it.


Two of my birds arrived in the autumn of 1909 and a few

weeks later I got a third bird which had practically only one

wing—the other having been so badly damaged by accident that



