29



confinement, and is said to be a very interesting pet. The

Hornbills are familiar to visitors to the Zoological Gardens.

A description of the Kingfishers, Rollers, and Frog-months

concludes this chapter.


Chapter X contains an interesting but too brief account

of the Parrots, and here the author ventures on a few quotations

from avicultural books, which cannot, however, be said to add

to the interest or value of the chapter. The coloured plates

representing Macaws and Kaka Parrots are the best that have

appeared so far, which is not saying much for them. Chapter

XI treats of the Owls, which, we think, deserve more attention

from aviculturists than they generally receive. Chapter XII

is devoted to the diurnal birds of prey, and Chapter XIII

describes Cormorants and Pelicans.


The “ Royal Natural History” is issued at a price which

places it within the reach of all aviculturists, and our readers

will do well to give it a place on their bookshelves.



CORRESPONDENCE.


THE ETHICS OF EXHIBITING.


Sir,— -You and I both agree that man has rights over the lower

animals, and that the keeping of birds in captivity is a lawful and

justifiable exercise of that right. I admit that the keeping of birds in

captivity, which have once known a state of freedom, involves an appre¬

ciable amount of suffering; but I hold that we are justified in inflicting

that small amount of suffering in order to increase our own knowledge and

pleasure. If we are to keep wild birds at all, this suffering is inevitable.

But you go a step further and say that, because the keeping of birds

involves the infliction of suffering, and yet is justifiable, therefore the

wholly unnecessarv^ and purposeless suffering caused by sending birds to

Shows is also justifiable. Here I part company with you. The whole thing

depends upon the end to be attained. Is man better or happier for this

suffering of the birds ? I say “ Yes ” in the case of bird-keeping, but “ No ”

iu the case of exhibiting. I believe that man is justified in confining birds

for his own pleasure, provided that he does all in his power to make their

captivity happy. The exhibitor who shuts his birds up in little boxes called

show-cages, and sends them about the country all the winter to Shows, is

certainly not doing his best to make their captivity endurable.


Septimus Perkins.



BREEDING RESUDTS.


Sir,— Mr. Savage asks, in the November number, for breeding results

during the past season. Mine have not been so satisfactory as usual: the

small foreign finches particularly having done badly, and I am fast coming

to the conclusion that it is unwise to have more than one pair of a kind in

the same place, if the best results are desired.



