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Dr. Graham Renshaw,



opposite temperaments. One would unfasten his cage-door and open

it, but not fly out. The other, if I opened his cage-door wide would

close it himself, first by hopping on to ledge, stand there and reach

door-bar with his beak, close it as far as possible, then step back on

to cage bottom and finish closing it with quite a bang. Tins was

witnessed scores of times by some officers billeted here, and they

used to say he shut the door to keep the draught out !


I could mention several other occurrences with different birds,

but time will not permit.


I maintain that any bird or animal can be tamed and trained,

and its confidence gained by kindness and general good friendly

treatment, and my advice to all bird-keepers is : Study your captive

pets’ different ways and whims, feed them as naturally as possible,

never grudge the time taken to attend them, for you get amply repaid

by health and song and their beautiful appearance. :



THE SECRETARY BIRD.


By Graham Renshaw, M.D., F.R.S.E.


“ Clad in the parish uniform of grey jacket and black breeches, observe

how ceremoniously the pompous villain struts along with his quill jauntily stuck

behind his ear, like a lawyer’s clerk.” — Sir William Harris on the Secretary Bird.


Those who have read Sir William Cornwallis Harris’s fasci¬

nating ‘ Portraits of the Game and Wild Animals of Southern Africa

will recall many apt descriptive phrases which occur in that valuable

work. lie writes, for instance, of the i; peacock necks” of a troop of

giraffe, of the “ magpie flanks ” of a gemsbok, of the “round goose¬

berry eyes ” of a lion ; but his happiest touch seems to be his com¬

parison of the stately, striding Secretary Bird to some old-fashioned,

dignified parish clerk. Harris’s work includes a South African land¬

scape drawing, with antelopes and a couple of Secretaries. One bird

is shown perched on a small ant-hill, turning its plumed head as it

surveys the landscape, while its mate sails on high over the parched


* [We can recommend the cages made entirely by Mr. Crisp’s eleven-year-old-boy.

They are cheap and practical.- I have lately had some made to order,

according to my required measurements, etc., for nightingales.—E d.



