Some Hints on Pcirrot-Keeioing.



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cage, but an outdoor aviary containing' earth and grass is far more

difficult to deal with. For the disinfection of an outdoor aviary, or

indeed any large area of ground containing avian disease germs,

nothing gives such satisfactory results as common salt applied at the

rate of three cwt. or more to the acre. Gaslime or soot are also

useful, but as the former is rather poisonous, the birds should be

removed for several weeks after it has been applied, and not returned

until it has become thoroughly dissolved and washed into the soil

by the rain, a process which may be accelorated by digging it in.

Ordinary lime is absolutely useless as a disinfectant. It does not

even kill parasitic worms, and why it is so often recommended I

cannot imagine.


Having so far dealt more or less generally with the parrot

family, I will, in conclusion, say something about those genera and

individual species of the treatment and characteristics of which I

have had some personal experience. As I wish to avoid the common

political (?) error of laying down the law in matters of which I am

wholly ignorant, I shall say little or nothing about birds I have

never myself kept, and this will I hope be some excuse for the ex¬

tremely “patchy” and uneven character of the following notes.


Amazon Parrots ( Ghrysotis ) are, as I have said once before,

especially suited to cage life, for no other species keep in finer

plumage in close confinement, live longer, or appear more contented-

Most Amazons, with the possible exception of the magnificent large

island races, have a considerable talent for learning to talk, although

the cocks are usually far better performers than their mates. Amazons

quickly become attached to their owners and are extremely fond of

being petted, though some are a little apt to give an unpleasantly

sharp nip in moments of excitement. This weakness, together with

a tendency to an over liberal use of their loud and raucous voices,

constitutes their chief failing. In an avairy, my rather limited

experience leads me to consider them far less quarrelsome than

parrakeets, and many species readily become inured to cold, the

island forms being, I am told, the most delicate. When allowed

complete liberty, they, as a rule, stay well, give little trouble and

may often be safely released full-winged.


Amazons should be fed on hemp, canary, millet, wheat, and



