on Birds of Paradise.



89



has been an exceptionally bleak and cold winter—in fact, I have

taken ice half an inch thick off their drinking pond. Night and day

bitter cold westerly winds were blowing, and do so at the present

moment, yet these birds slept in their open shelter all the time, and

in the mornings look sleek and slim and happy when other inmates

are fluffed out, resembling more a ball than a bird; they even enjoy

a bath in the ice-cold water.


When, some years ago at the end of winter, I acquired my

first Birds of Paradise, things worldly were generally more hopeful,

and one felt justified in granting oneself a little extra cash for such

pleasures. I felt very concerned at the time as to suitable housing

for them, but decided eventually, and made ready for their reception

my most sheltered aviary, 20 ft. by 60 ft., thickly planted out with

shrubs and with just an open shed behind. This shed we filled with

big branches, screening the open part thickly half way down, so that

the inside was dark and cosy and yet open. I cannot say that in

those early days this new acquisition was an unmixed joy. The

pleasure of possessing these rare and expensive birds was much

tempered with the anxiety as to how they would take to their new

abode. Each morning one scanned the ground in fear lest one of

these gorgeous birds had “ gone before ! After a week, however, I

felt that my birds would be all right. Meanwhile, I had a look at

those in the Sydney Zoo, purchased at the same time. They had

been placed in an open aviary, and several mornings I saw them

crouched cold and shivering against the wire. They were being

“ hardened off.” That a number did survive shows how very hardy

these birds must be. From the commencement of keeping them I

tried to get my birds used to eating dry food, that is to say, rich cake

with plenty of eggs and butter—we can allow ourselves that luxury

out here even now—mixed with crushed hemp-seed. Besides, I

give them the best of fruit—not refuse—such as bananas, apples and

pears, whichever is in season, allowing them to have the fruit whole,

not cut up as in the Zoo here ; then, especially during summer-time,

it won’t deteriorate and get sour so quickly, causing gastric troubles

and death to the birds. During the warmer period they got as a

luxury crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, and—what they like best—-

white grubs out of the ground or decayed wood, the larvae of various



