on the Silky Cow-Bird.



139



only united by about a £-inch portion of tlie globular substance,

this broke away, at least three times, reforming to full size in

about seven days ; at end of July it disappeared altogether, and

the bird is now in perfect fettle again and a handsome fellow.

The only medicine I gave was a little salts occasionally in the

drinking water, but I gave plenty of nourishing food : liberal

supplies of egg, mealworms, and fruit, with dandelion leaves and

flowers as green food. While ill he did not seem to suffer, but

continued his song, though less vigorously while the trouble

lasted. They were through the moult and in perfect condition

by September 3rd.*


Both male and female sing, the female if anything most

continuously, and her song has more compass than that of the

male.


Dr. Butler says in “ Foreign Bird Keeping” : “ The Silky

Cow-Bird is not a pleasant aviary^ pet, for although not aggressive,

extremely easy to keep, and very long lived, it never becomes

tame, but, after years of association with its owner, remains as

wild and nervous, if he approaches the aviary, as when first

turned out; even in a cage it can never be called a confiding

bird.” For the first few months my experience exactly tallied

with the above; there was really no pleasure in their possession,

handsome though they were, they dashed about so when anyone

was near the aviary, that they could only be observed from a

distance; and I regretted their purchase, and contemplated

giving them their liberty. But in June last, when our esteemed

member Mr. F. W. Harper was leaving England for South

America, he kindly gave me a male Indian Grey-winged Ouzel,

which he had hand-reared, and which had been on deposit at the

Zoo. for some months ; this was very tame, and would take fruit,

insects, in fact anything eatable, from my fingers. Hitherto I

had fed the Cow-Birds only on seed, but when I began to give

mealworms to the Ouzel, I found them so keen on obtaining

them that, when I appeared with the can containing them, they

began to tolerate my presence, and soon they would come and

take their share (though in a somewhat startled manner) while I



* The male has had no recurrence of the tumour, and both are now (Jan. 14th, 1905)

in the pink of condition, and quite tame.»W. T. P.



