34 6



Practical Bird-Keeping.



small round maize, barley meal (English), and, if £ s. d. permits,

give bread cut up in small pieces, which can be swallowed easily ;

do not give cheap corn, it is penny wise and pound foolish to do

so. The natural times of feeding are in the early mornings and

evenings, hence this is the best rule to follow with birds in

confinement.


All Cranes, without exception, require a good grass run,

the larger the better, and, where possible, they should be located

near a lake, pond or stream so that the birds can wade or wash

at pleasure ; to enjoy a wash or bath they like a good depth of

clear water, from one to three feet, according to the size of the

bird ; the Sams and Manchurians like it still deeper. A natural

bottom in all cases is most important; concrete being much too

hard as the birds spend a good deal of time wading about, and at

night roost knee deep in water, no matter how cold and wet the

weather may be.


With regard to housing in winter, one must be guided by

local climatic conditions. Those that require protection in this

locality, particularly at night, it may be as well to mention, viz ,

Cape Crowned Crane, West African Crowned Crane, Stanley

Crane, Demoiselle Crane, Wattled Crane, and Sarus Crane ; these

are driven in pairs into houses at night after the ist of November

each year, and are only allowed to remain out when the winter is

well over. During the day we keep them in as little as possible,

although the houses are good in every way. By careful housing

during the winter you can keep the birds in good health and, as

the nesting season comes along, you stand a much better chance

of having nests with fertile eggs, a most necessary point to

mention. Under no consideration, while the birds are indoors,

place water or food on the ground, but put it into pans in a

convenient light corner, where the birds can see them well, and

raise them at least twelve inches from the ground, as by so doing

the birds cannot foul them. Bed down with peat moss, and do

not forget to have plenty of overhead ventilation, as well as

that from the windows, and when hard frost and perhaps deep

snow is on the ground admit as much sunshine as you can,

and all will go well. Should it so happen that the snow lies

more than two days, we sweep a good piece, say twelve yards



