342



Sir William Ingram,



Birds are about as far as possible from their native land, but that

their proximity to the Equator is very nearly the same.


A watcher is always left in charge of the birds, the first man

engaged for this job having been a very intelligent sailor, who gave

out that he was a Swiss ; but when he was dying he disclosed the

fact that he was a runaway son of a Bohemian Professor.


His successor was a black man who somewhat objected to a

lonely life on the Island, and who took with him a dusky woman

who was already married, and whose lawful husband invaded the

peaceful home of the Paradise Birds, murdered his former wife and

the son of the watcher, leaving the latter with very little breath in

his body !


Now an ex-policeman, a negro, looks after the Island and

seems fairly intelligent. It is his reports which I send, in the form

of a diary, since they may interest the members of the Avicultural

Society.


As to the success of the experiment of acclimatising the

Great Bird of Paradise there seems little doubt, and their numbers

having apparently increased, there is a hope that they will become

naturalised.



DIARY, LITTLE TOBAGO, 1917.


Saturday. 28/4/17.


Returned to Island at about 11.30 a.m. from Spey Side ; found

all regular ; left in the afternoon; watered the birds ; seen and heard

them flying about and crying from point to point, No rain ; sea

calm ; everything very dry ; all correct.


Jno. H. Hamilton.


Sunday. 29/4/17.


Left Camp in the morning; watered the birds ; patrolled a

part of Island; seen and heard the birds as usual. No rain ; weather

or day very sultry; sea calm. There is no difficulty in seeing or

hearing the birds whatever, as daily they are seen around the house ;

they are in full plumage now ; they are as familiar about the Island

as the native birds. No rain; weather very warm at this time ;

all correct.



Jno. H. Hamilton.



