TouRACous, Bower Birds and Birds of Paradise. 85 



are all these birds require, but the young were reared entirely on 

 live insects, mealworms and cockroaches. 



I have also kept, for a short time only, three specimens 

 (either hens or immature cocks) of the beautiful Gardener Bower 

 Bird {Amblyornis subalaris). They are hopelessly wild, in spile 

 of every protection in the shape of thick fir boughs. I cannot 

 say I felt any desire to keep them, as it is somewhat irritating 

 after weeks of quiet and care to fiud no improvement, and only 

 the same wild terror on your approach. These birds ultimately 

 met their death from this cause, and died from au injury caused 

 by hurling themselves against the wire divisions — too highly 

 nervous to submit to the dignity of captivity, they are best left 

 to their native wilds and freedom. 



And now I come to the most wonderful of all birds — the 

 Birds of Paradise. 



Altogether I have had in my possession twelve different 

 species of this superb family. Some I have only kept a short 

 time, others have been years in my possession, but all are in- 

 teresting and beautiful. 



Those I am most familiar with are P. raggiaiiia, the King 

 Birds of Paradise, Hunstein's Magnificent, the Six Plumed Bird 

 of Paradi.se and the Magnificent Rifle Bird. All these are hardy, 

 with the exception of the King Birds, and these seem to me ta 

 need something we cannot give them. Personally, I believe they 

 cannot stand damp and the quick changes of temperature for 

 which our climate is famous, and for this reason would do much 

 better in an indoor ?iv\?(.\y , only they are very energetic birds and 

 would quickly get fat if denied the possibility of exercise and 

 given liberally too fattening food. All my Paradise Birds flew 

 almost daily out of doors, summer and winter, and I do not think 

 they mind a low temperature if they can move about freely. 



They can all be fed on fruit and insectivorous food. To 

 the latter I added a little chopped, well-boiled sheep's head, 

 which they all liked and which I believe is very good for them. 

 Apples thej'^ are particularly fond of; this was curiously proved 

 when, late in the autumn, a hen Rifle Bird escaped from my 



