Aviculture and Aquiculture



29



mouthful, raising and lowering its crest, flirting its tail, and opening

and shutting it sideways. A Marabout Stork ran about with huge

wings widely expanded, throwing up its head and clattering its

bill. Suddenly it resumed its sedateness, hunching its head between

its shoulders as it walked.


The Penguins were amusing. They stood upright, flippers slightly

extended, eyes closed. Occasionally one would stretch and shake

its neck, then shake its body ; in the latter case the absurd apology

for a tail shook too ! The bird next proceeded to raise its head

and flippers, and solemnly shook itself again. Another perhaps

would waddle forward, its body aslant ; all the movements of these

quaint little creatures were made with portentous gravity, as if they

were performing some religious ritual.



AVICULTURE AND AQUICULTURE: A NEW

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY


Every keeper of Waders, Gallinules, Gulls, and similar carnivorous

birds has doubtless at some time or other wished for a regular supply

of live food—fish, worms, snails, etc.—which would relieve him of the

daily duty of preparing their dinner. In zoological gardens this

problem is partially solved by feeding the Penguins and similar

diving birds on live Gudgeon or Minnows if they can be conveniently

obtained from some neighbouring water. Such food is, of course,

perfectly natural and therefore ideal ; some of our members, recalling

the task of preparing minced meat and so forth, may go further

and term it Utopian ! The close association between fish and bird

life, evidenced in the daily maintenance of Kingfishers, Herons,

and similar water-loving birds, demonstrates beyond cavil the close

connexion between aviculture and aquiculture.


The Editor therefore takes pleasure in drawing attention to the

newest of zoological corporations, the Cinderella of natural history,

the London Aquarium Society. In a letter recently received Mr. W. T.

Webster, the President, remarks on the rapid growth of membership



