140



Mr. P. F. M. Galloway,



fowls from China, a pair of African lion cubs, a bear, lemurs and

monkeys, whilst glass globes suspended from the verandah contained

fan-tailed goldfish from the Far East.


Needless to say, I was very much disappointed at the small

number of birds on view, the scarcity being due to the war. Some

years ago, when travelling some 800 miles from Upper India to

Bombay by mail train, I found that a consignment of live Himalayan

birds was on the train en route to the market at Bombay. The

cages were of the usual Indian pattern—split bamboo, about 3o feet

long, 2 feet wide, 6 to 10 inches high, divided into 6, 12 or 24 com¬

partments. Every four or five hours, at convenient stopping-stations,

the native in charge of the birds removed them from the dark van,

placing them on the platform to feed and water them. I was sur¬

prised to see Magpies, Laughing-Thrushes, and many other birds

receive a “ quick lunch” consisting of raw rice, which they readily

picked up and swallowed whole. Amongst that consignment were

no less than two dozen Silver-eared Mesias, which were ultimately

shipped to Italy.


These notes are written in England entirely from memory,

eleven months after my arrival at Bombay, so I must crave the

indulgence of readers in case of any omissions.



ON THE BEST SYSTEM OF FEEDING

INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS.


By P. F. M. Galloway.


Food, Exercise and Cleanliness.


Here we have the three most important items ; one without

the other is sure to bring trouble sooner or later.


In writing this article on feeding, &c., I do not wish to pose

as one able to keep soft-billed birds in better health and condition

than others, but what I will say is this, that, after keeping all kinds

of British insectivorous birds from the cuckoo down to the tiny

golden-crested wren, and having fed them in various ways, the

system I have adopted this last ten or twelve years has produced

the very best results, so much so that I do not think it necessary to



