Observations on the birds in a suburban garden.



61



settle down, after which they stand almost anything in the way of

travelling and roughing it.


A page or two back I called these little Africans 11 ready-made

cage-birds.” In addition to their general adaptability to circumstances,

an almost incredible happening this year gives me good reasons for

so saying. At one time I had in camp in one cage twenty-five birds,

including the ten spotted firefinches. One morning the “ boy” left

the door open and out they all got. Before sundown all, except

two, were back again, the exceptions being a couple of orange-

cheek waxbills, which went right away at once. All the rest came

back to their cage sooner or later and were easily recaptured without

any trap, merely by leaving a cage containing seed and water with

an open door, and shutting this as soon as a bird or birds went in.

This, too, in their own country and close to their native bush.”

The fact seems to be that after a little time in captivity, the birds

get so accustomed to the constant supply of food and water, that

having once got into the habit of eating and drinking, particularly

the latter, at all hours, they cannot easily do otherwise again, if they

happen to escape. In freedom, most of our birds only drink morning

and evening, some indeed only at one of these times, and spend the

rest of the day foraging for food, very often far away from any water.

Under the easy conditions of cage-life, as far as victuals are con¬

cerned, they soon lose their regular habits.



OBSERVATIONS ON THE BIRDS IN

A SUBURBAN GARDEN.


By 0. J. Stone.


The suburbs are often considered to be exceedingly dull places

and it may therefore be of interest to some to know that more bird-

life can be seen in them than is generally supposed.


In giving a short account of the birds noticed in a Sydenham

garden, I lay myself open to criticism, as my observations are only

casual ones and I do not pretend to have made a systematic study

of the subject.



