82 



PKACTiCAr< Bird-Keeping. 



XIII. 



TOURACOUS, BOWER BIRDS, AND 

 BIRDS OF PARADISE. 



By Mrs. Johnstone. 



Touracous are, I understand, classed with the Cuckoos, on 

 the ground principally of the likeness of each when in the nest. 

 I fear I am 7iot scientific, for, in my opinion, the Touracous are 

 totally unlike the Cuckoos. In their movements and ways there 

 is no resemblance — the Cuckoo is principally insectivorous, the 

 Touracous largely frugivorous. 



The Touracous stand alone for grace of movement and 

 beauty of form of colouring; in fact, there are no other birds 

 living, as far as I know, that resemble them. The first specimen 

 I ever had was a young bird, hand-reared from the nest and 

 almost bare of feathers, with the exception of flight feathers and 

 tail. She— for she turned out to be a hen Fraser's Touracou — 

 was absurdly and delightfully tame and in the best of health. 

 What her age was I could only conjecture, but now on looking 

 back and comparing the ways of her baby son I should say she 

 was about six months old. 



I remember she filled me with amazement by the way she 

 bolted large pieces of cuttle fish, she had evidently been denied 

 grit or lime in any form. Later I was able to secure a mate for 

 this bird, and the pair were installed in one of my aviary 

 divisions, about twelve feet square with a larger outside flight 

 beyond. 



I cannot speak too highly of Touracous as aviary birds. 

 I consider they take the first place, both for beauty, hardiness, 



