Some Experiences.



173



I heard a familiar call, and looking up saw the truant perched on the

fence of the local recreation ground. He had, of course, recognised

me and saluted in the customary manner. He was in such a state

of delighted excitement that I really thought he would allow me to

capture him, but just as my hand was about to close upon him he

bolted again, happily in the direction from which he had come. I

could do no more than bid him go home, and this is exactly what

he did do, for it seems that within a quarter-of-an-hour of my leaving

he was busy with his second breakfast and was promptly secured.


No doubt, in both these instances, hunger helped to arouse

the homing instinct, but surely such incidents are a conclusive refu¬

tation of the absurd contention that there can be any cruelty in

keeping in a state of captivity suitable species of birds under suitable

conditions. They also suggest the interesting enquiry whether, in

favourable surroundings, selected species of small birds might not,

with patience, be trained to “home” in the same way that pigeons

do. Perhaps the greatest difficulty would be the probability of

“mobbing” by sparrows and others of the “lower orders” of

feathered creation. Cats also would, doubtless, take heavy toll,

but certainly a secluded garden in which Budgerigars, Canaries,

and the like were at full liberty would be a delightful resort.


The mention of Sparrows reminds me of an amusing episode

which took place in the same aviary. One day I found a cock Spar¬

row flying about in the adjoining sitting-room. He had blundered

in through the open window and had not sufficient sense to find

his way out again. I closed the window, caught the intruder with¬

out much difficulty and placed him in the aviary in order to see how

he would behave in polite society.


Now, I am aware that Sparrows have apologists—I believe

they even have admirers ! I belong to neither category—but this is

not the place to revive the old, old controversy, which has so often

raged around the persons of these feathered anarchists.


For about a week after his introduction, this particular

specimen devoted all his energies to gorging himself on the un¬

accustomed stores of Canary seed, millet, and so forth. When this

began to pall through continued repletion, another trait in his

disposition emerged—he started persecuting all the small inhabitants



