THE SHRIKES. 41 



which has been properly taught is a splendid mimic and 

 talker. Being naturally a whistler, it readily learns tunes ; 

 and when it speaks, its pronunciation is very clear. 

 Moreover, a Piping-Crow is a free talker when it knows 

 anything, which, as everybody has experienced, is by no 

 means the usual thing with talking birds. The bird is 

 easy to keep, as, like a true Crow, it will eat anything ; 

 it has the Shrike's habit of holding a large morsel in one 

 foot to tear it. A portion of its food should always consist 

 of small animals or tender raw meat ; mice, sparrows or 

 the necks of fowls will be suitable. It is obvious that 

 such a bird is not a suitable tenant for any ordinary aviary, 

 as it is not a safe companion for any bird weaker than 

 itself. On the other hand, it is too big and too dirty for 

 a cage. The best plan, therefore, is either to give the 

 bird a little aviary to itself in the compound, about six 

 feet square ; or, after it has got used to its cage or to a 

 little roosting-house which could be made for it, to clip 

 the flight-feathers of one wing and let it roam about by 

 day, shutting it in safely at night. 



In this way the bird will be an ornament to the garden, 

 and useful in destroying insect pests, while it is likely to 

 keep in better health when allowed this modified liberty. 

 The Piping-Crow is very popular in Australia both wild 

 and as a pet, and a good many are exported. I have said 

 so much about it because it is one of the best of all pet 

 birds, and practically certain to please anyone who tries 

 it, even an old untrained bird being, as I said above, a 

 very nice pet. Although rather expensive to buy 

 costing at least ten rupees the fact that it is a very hardy 



