60



Some grassfinches and other Gambian birds.



this may have been the reason, or one of the reasons, for the absence

of mortality. As a general rule the birds are kept on deck till

about the Canary Islands and then put down below when we get

into colder weather. This year, however, no live stock was allowed

on deck at all, but had to go at once right down into the bowels of

the ship to some place in the butcher’s domain and in the immediate

neighbourhood of the refrigerator. I was horrified at this in Bat¬

hurst when I came on board, it seemed so cold and dark, though

immediately under an always open hatch, and as the place was only

open for a short time at midday, one had to be most rapid and

punctual in one’s attendance for feeding, and if one missed the

proper time, the only means of access was down a long vertical

ladder, about as high as a four-storeyed house, the descent of which

would have been beyond me at any time, let alone on shipboard. A

refrigerator (and its products) is a thing of joy to the white non-African

non-feathered biped, but hardly the neighbour one would select for

African feathered dittos, but the results seem to have proved its

suitability as a temporary home for travelling birds, at any rate

mine all arrived in w r onderful condition and without loss. Every¬

thing else it was true was in their favour. The voyage was the

quickest I have ever made, for even an African boat hurries herself

when submarines are about, and we landed in bright sun on what

was apparently the last warm day of this particular summer, while

the temperature of the place where the birds were kept, which

seemed so chilly in Africa, remained practically the same, about

70° Fahr< all the way.


How different it would be with most fresh-caught British

birds? What rate would be asked to insure the survival of any

fifty of these for three months even in their own country, leaving

out altogether any travelling risks ? Nor does it hold good for all

African seed-eaters, for some of these, for instance, quail finches

are particularly fragile and need most careful handling and treatment

until accustomed to their caf6 and new surroundings. Even bishops

and weavers, I find, when caught in colour, are not good livers,

though when captured out of colour do well, but even then with

them one has to expect some loss among fresh-caught birds. How¬

ever, this is generally slight and it is never long before these birds



