Mr. E. W. Harper,



36



“ scaly-breasted” are amongst those species sometimes kept. The

commonest is the Brown-throated (C. cerugmosus), which is some¬

times hawked about the streets in a freshly-caught condition,

and can be observed flying in small flocks just outside the town.

The Golden-winged Parrakeet ( Brotogerys tuipara ), so destructive

to the woodwork of cages, is not uncommon. The Guiana

Love Birds {Psittamla gidanensis) appear to be all imported from

the neighbouring colony of Dutch Guiana : they breed freely in

captivity in quite small cages, the cock being very fussy when

he becomes a father. Although owing to the “safety in

numbers” several dozen may be put together, yet two pairs in one

cage cannot agree, as I proved to my cost—one cock promptly

killing the other. A few African Greys are occasionally

imported, either direct from West Africa by sailing-ship, or via

Madeira.


The Toucans, called locally “bill birds”—those beaky

birds reminding one so much of the Horubills of the Old World

—should perhaps be mentioned next. Dealers tell me that

they do not find a read}'’sale ; but young hand-reared birds are

occasionally seen. It is astonishing how tame these birds

become : I have seen one, which was allowed its liberty in a

small garden, hopping into a crowded street in which trams were

continously passing. One which I possessed was allowed to

come out of its 'cage daily to bathe in a wash-hand basin ; at

night it roosted upon a towel-horse, turning its tail over its back

in true Toucan fashion. The two species most often met with are

the Sulphur-and-white-breasted ( Ramphastos vitellinus ) and the

Toco ( R. toco).


Next to the Parrots in point of favour as cage birds come

the Finches. They are generally kept in well-made wire cages,

each provided with a sliding drawer at one end for seed, and a

wooden false-bottom. Sand is never given. On one occasion

I was explaining to a man how important it was that Finches

should be supplied with sand, when he replied quite seriously, “ I

think they prefer seed ! ” It may surprise our members to hear

that owing to a specific duty on bird-seed, canary-seed is retailed

in Georgetown at 5d. and 6d. per lb. Cages containing small

birds can safely be hung out of doors in Demerara, owing to the



