4 s



interesting. But if I ever had the pleasure of another trip up

the Nile, I don’t think I would ever try to bring home any more,

and I don’t know that I advise others to do so.


Yet there is a beautiful Hoopoe (unless quite lately dead)

in the Western Aviary of the Zoological Gardens in Regent’s

Park, which has moulted successfully, and which, when I saw it

in October, looked extremely healthy.



THE FOOD OF BIRDS IN CAPTIVITY.


By H. R. Filpmkr.


A complaint has been made that the Avicultural Magazine

is not sufficiently instructive to beginners, but assumes a greater

practical knowledge on the part of its readers than they actually

possess. In order to do something to meet this objection I here

present our less advanced readers with some notes which, what¬

ever their faults, have at least the merit of being elementary.


Without any disparagement of the ornithological side of

aviculture, it may be justly claimed that the branch of our

science which is most peculiarly our own is the proper treatment

of birds in captivity. A knowledge of specific and sexual

distinctions, classification, and nomenclature, while of great

value to the aviculturist, is a thing which he shares with the

cabinet ornithologist and the collector, and is scarcely of the

essence of aviculture. But a knowledge of how to keep birds,

in cage or aviary, in health and happiness, belongs to the

aviculturist alone and is his especial pride. Now, perhaps the

most important branch of the great subject of “ treatment” is—

food : so that no apology is needed for the presentation of these

notes upon it.


Of all the vices to which the writer on aviculture can fall

a victim, that of consistency is the most dangerous. Therefore,

if I herein set down anything which is, or appears to be, contra¬

dictory of what I may have said before, I shall not try to explain

(or explain away) the inconsistency. There are some writers

who are like the man who, having by a slip of the tongue, stated

his horse to be fourteen feet high, remarked, on the mistake being

pointed out, “ Did I say ‘ feet ’ ? very well, then I will stick to it.”

I am not going to be like that. I try to live and learn, and I find

that I often have to acknowledge myself to have been in the

wrong in the past. Aviculture is yet in its infancy, and I

believe that we shall very likely soon stumble upon some great

discoveries, which will revolutionise all our ideas about bird



