16



Colour-fed Blackbirds.



metallic green on the heads of the hybrids. One wonders whether

there could be any possibility of Mareca aviericana having been

produced by this cross. Mareca sibilatrix is, of course, a South

American bird, but it would probably reach as far north as Central

America. Mareca 'penelo'pe still occurs in North America as a winter

visitor to some of the Eastern States, and has even been found in

Florida and California, although it must be very scarce in the latter

State, as the writer, with five years’ duck-hunting experience there,

failed to meet with a specimen. Of course, in prehistoric days, both

M. 'penelope and M. sibilatrix may have been found in the same

latitude. At any rate, this seems rather an interesting speculation.

Another rather unusual circumstance connected with this occurrence

was the fact that the female Wigeon deserted her husband and took

up with the Chili drake, whilst the deserted bird mated up with his

own daughter, a duck bred on the pond the previous year and left

unpinioned ! Five hybrids were reared, all of which were drakes.

These were practically indistinguishable one from the other. This

cross has previously occurred at the Zoo, and we are told that the

young ones closely resembled the Chilian parent.



COLOUR-FED BLACKBIRDS.


Mr. Allen Silver writes :


“ In colour-feeding a bird to get its value we know that the

‘ feed ’ must be given just before and during moult and for some

time after, and in the case of many breeders of birds (Canaries),

where colour value means much, they keep it up off and on until the

end of the show season. There is one point with reference to the

Blackbird, and that is colour-toning of the yellow bill and eyelids

can be effected by feeding after the moult. In fact, one of the oldest

exhibitors of Blackbirds of my acquaintance once whispered in my

ear that a Blackbird was spoilt by being ‘ fed ’ during the moult,

which I have since observed to be the case. This old man used to

turn them out the shiniest deep black imaginable, with beautiful rich

amber bills (not chough colour). It is to be hoped some dead-feather

professor will work the matter out on living birds.”



