Crowned Cranes and Stanley Cranes.



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always makes trouble in the aviary. The Amethystinus is most keen

on his bath, and in the mornings when the plants in the aviary

are being sprayed he will always come right up to me and open out

his wings and ask to be sprayed. One of my birds is so tame that

he will let me stroke him and nothing frightens him.


The two cocks I possess seem to moult at different times and

never together, so I am lucky enough to have one at least in perfect

plumage always. They generally roost in amongst the leaves of the

bay trees I have in my aviary, and it is very difficult to find them,

they hide so carefully. It is a pleasure to see them enjoy life and

fly in and out of the branches at a great pace. Needless to say they

are most charming pets and a source of great pleasure to me. Of

the two cocks I possess, one began moulting in February and was in

perfect plumage by the middle of March, the second one started

moulting the end of April and is very nearly in full plumage now.


My Sunbirds are kept in an aviary in a bird-room, where I

always have plenty of light and sunshine. The aviary is a very

light structure made entirely of iron and linked wire netting,

measuring 9 ft. long by 6 ft. and 7 ft. high, a few growing bay trees

and some dead branches serve for perches. I also put in some

sweet-smelling flowers in vases, and the birds will fly at once when

these are put in fresh, to suck the nectar.


No coloured-plate can possibly do such a lovely bird justice,

partly owing to the metallic colouring of the throat and crown,

which is not fixed, but flashes out more brilliantly according to the

light upon them, when at other moments they are much less

observable.



CROWNED CRANES AND STANLEY

CRANES.


By Maurice Portal.


In 1912 mention was made in the Avicultural Magazine of

the nesting of the Sudan Crown Crane ( Balearica pavonina ) at

Logan, in Wigtonshire. Mr. K. McDouall kindly furnished me with

some further details, and allowed me to go and see the birds at

Logan. Originally six Sudan Crown Cranes were sent home in 1906



