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Mr. Reginald Phillipps.



On the 12th of June I removed the young birds to a cage

in the house; as it was evident that, although they did not yet

crack seeds, they could eat by themselves. For two days they

were rather shy ; but when hungry, would greedily devour

biscuit sop from a spoon. By the 15th they were quite tame,

and when let out of the cage would fly about the room, or

perch on my hand, rapidly fluttering their wings for exercise,

calling loudly at the same time.


One of them, if I offered him sop when he did not want it,

would impulsively peck at my hand, plainly saying ‘‘take the

stuff away.” If they had been hatched in a wild state, they

could not be better grown or more robust.



THE NAKED-THROATED BELL-BIRD—


AND HIS BATTLES.


By Reginald Phillipps.


At page 191 of our May number, Mr. Harding refers to

the untimely decease of his Naked-throated Bell-Bird. If my

experiences are worth anything, the species is an easy one to

keep in health so long as it is protected from the weather; should

it, however, be subjected to the Fresh Air Treatment, which has

been responsible for the death of not a few rare birds during

recent years, it will assuredly betake itself off. In 1888, when I

was more accustomed to British than to foreign birds, I received

two examples—and each came to an untimely end through an

overdose of fresh air.


My first was an adult male—white tinged with yellow. I

suppose this yellow tinge, not very infrequent with Bell-Birds

generally, is merely a stain? or is it a sign of age?


My second specimen, an immature male still in the green

feather when received, arrived a month later. All through the

summers of 1889 and 1890, sitting on a high bare perch in my

garden aviary, this “ Smith” (as he is called by some in his own

country) lustily hammered away on his anvil each year until he

fell into moult (August). And here I shall do well, I think, to

exploit my wisdom, even at the cost of betraying my weakness,



