THE



Bvicultural ®aga3me,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICULTURAL SOCIETY.



VOL. V. —NO. 55.



All rights reserved.



MAY, 1899.



THE BLUE SUGAR-BIRD.


(Dacnis cay ana).


By A. G. Butler, Ph.D.


Our Secretary has asked me to write a short article upon

this beautiful little species ; not because I have ever kept the

bird, but because those who have made the attempt have been so

far unfortunate that they do not feel sufficient confidence in

their treatment to recommend it to others ; whilst, at the same

time, they are too busy to bring together what facts are already

known respecting the species.


The Blue Sugar-bird has a wide range, extending from

Central America in the north, southwards to Bolivia in the west,

and Southern Brazil in the east.


The plate, although a little greener than the bird usually

appears, will give a good idea of the male; the female differs in

its bright green colouring, the head being blue and the throat

ashy; the abdomen is of a yellower green than the upper parts.


Of the wild life of this species very little seems to be

recorded. It is met with in small companies in the open borders

of the forest region and in meadowland studded with scrub.

Judging from its affinities, the nest should be open and cup¬

shaped and the eggs spotted.


It is known that Dacnis cayana in its wild state feeds upon

insects and fruit ; therefore, in captivity it ought surely to be

treated precisely in the same way as a Tanager. Mr. Fulljames,

who has had two examples, and who (I believe) was the first to

exhibit the species in this country, fed his specimens upon

banana, sponge-cake, and yolk of egg. Mr. Fillmer, who

succeeded in keeping an example for nine months, fed it upon

banana, milk-sop, and a mixture of dried yolk of egg, sponge¬

cake, and ants’ eggs.



