76


THE GREEN AVADAVAT.


Sir, — I hope Mr. Todd will not think me discourteous in expressing-

regret that he should be testing the hardiness of several species of foreign

birds. I have kept many hundreds of foreign birds, — granivorous, fru-

givorous, insectivorous, large and small, birds of prey, ground birds, Crows,

Jays, Pies, Finches, Waxbills (including Green Avadavats), and British

migrants, and the more I see of them the more I am satisfied that to

subject them to unnecessary cold is not only cruel, but a great mistake.

Many die and many live — and it is wonderful what trials some will stand;

but I am convinced that a large proportion of those which are supposed to

have successfull)- passed the test do not live out half their days, ofttimes

not a quarter.


Look at some of these little birds, Green Avadavats if j'ou like, in the

cold ; the greater part of the day tlie}^ spend huddled together in some box

or nest ; and when compelled to venture out for food they are lumpy and

fluff}'. Look at the same specimens in a moderatelj' warm room ; they are

tight, sleek, active, and as happy as the day is long (I extend the length of

the winter da5-s with artificial light). The larger birds act differently,

usually sitting shivering on their perches, excepting the different species

of Mynahs and Starlings, who naturall}- take to the nests and boxes; they

feel the cold acutely, but do not die nearly so readily as the others. I

regularly let many of my larger birds out for a constitutional di^ring the

winter, some even in severe weather, but only for a limited time, longer or

shorter according to the day, and the change is distinctl}- beneficial. When

the window is opened, they rush out like mad things, with joyous shrieks

and yells. I have but to give the signal, and back they go again as docile

as dogs, usualh' more so than children, and are safely shut up in their cosy

room. I no more allow them to stay out in the cold as long as the}' like

than I would allow a child to do so.


Mr. Todd admits the importance of protecting the females from cold,

and says it would certainly be advisable to separate the sexes during the

winter. But most of the Waxbills and foreign Finches are truly miserable

when separated. And more than half the pleasure of keeping these little

creatures consists in seeing them together and watching their deep affection

for one another. Of course it is sometimes absokitely necessary to separate

the sexes — but even human beings cannot alwaj's have their own way ; and

those species which separate in their wild state should be kept separate in

captivity.


REGInaIvD Phii,i,ipps.



