248 H. E. Rogers—The Revival of Aviculture



to fly in a large outdoor aviary set with grape-vines and other plants,

which attracted myriads of the tiny leaf-fly. The flies served the Blood-

birds as food in addition to the sugar water they received. All these

birds moulted perfectly into their natural scarlet plumage. At the

same time others were placed in a large cage with plenty of sunlight,

and fed on sugar water sprinkled only with dried and crushed cocoons

of flies and with powdered flies, this providing the protein which is

necessary for our and their existence. The birds did very well on this

diet and moulted without trouble, but—a washed-out pink ! This

seems to prove that it was the leaf-fly in conjunction with unlimited

sunlight which caused the natural colour to reappear.


It is certainly a remarkable fact that it is the red which suffers

in moulting, and even nature itself produces these changes, as, for

instance, in the Yellow-headed Gouldian, the Yellow-headed Parrot-

finch of Fiji, and even the gorgeous King Parrot of Australia, of which

I have seen at least one living specimen having the scarlet colour

replaced by yellow. Furthermore, these colour changes are not nearly

so frequent in Parrots, the probability being that their nature better

adapts itself to dry feeding in captivity.



THE REVIVAL OE AVICULTURE


By H. E. Rogers


1 have no doubt that business will now gradually increase, and

keep increasing for a year or so until the normal pre-War standard

is attained—possibly that may be greatly exceeded by the addition

of considerable trade formerly in Continental hands, chiefly German.


One may gather from articles in the Times and illustrations in the

pictorials, Irish Life, etc., that there have been a number of unusual,

rare, or remarkable arrivals during the past few months. Amongst

mammals was an interesting Chimpanzee from the Congo, which

I supplied to the Dublin Zoo, illustrated in Irish Life October 3.

A black Mangaby monkey from the Congo was illustrated in the Mail

and Field. Some Red-billed Toucans, Curassows, etc., and a pair of

Red Titi Monkeys from the Upper Amazon also arrived here safely.



