Aviculture at the Zoo.



329



If, therefore, there is any moral sense in birds, it would

seem to be limited to the female sex, and as a guard against

pairing between parent and child : however, as I have only three

instances to bring forward as evidence, it cannot be assumed that

this is a general law among cage-birds until many more proofs

have been brought to light. In the case of fanciers’ birds—

Canaries, poultry, pigeons, and even Barbary Doves, I have little

doubt that all moral sense is lacking, owing to man’s constant

supervision, high feeding, and other things which encourage an

unnatural condition ; all experiments, therefore should be con¬

ducted with birds which retain their wild character and have

not been long under man’s care.



AVICULTURE AT THE ZOO.


By Frank Finn.


The most notable additions to the collection during the

past month, as far as size and imposing appearance go, are a fine

pair of Goliath Herons ( Ardea goliath )—a species which has only

once before been in the collection, though this identical pair are

actually captive-bred, from parents kept in the Amsterdam Zoo¬

logical Gardens. This species, which is African, is the largest

of the herons, and the Zoo specimens look about twice as large

as the common herons which are also in the Gulls’ aviary, where

the new comers have been placed. In colour this species more

resembles the Purple Heron ( A. purpurea') than the common

heron, having much of a vinous maroon hue on the neck and

underparts.


Mr. A. Pam has presented a fine consignment of birds

from Venezuela, including a specimen of the curious Helmeted

Curassow ( Pauxis galeata) which is remarkable for having a blue

excrescence, much like an oval blue pebble, on its red bill. It

has been in the collection before, but not often.


A novelty in this Venezuelan collection is the Rustic

Tyrant ( Elainea pagajia ), a very humble-looking little olive-

brown bird with two light markings on the wings, much like the

colouring of our hen Chaffinch, but of interest as representing a

very widely-spread and numerous American group, the members



