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My Birds at Brinsop Court.



Crested Dove is very swift, more resembling that of a partridge or

quail, the wings, after several rapid vibrations, being held immovable

(as in soaring) for some distance until the impetus flags, when they

are again used to carry the bird along. I have never seen the

Crested Doves soar upwards and down again from the summit of a

tree, as the Palm and other doves do, and also our Wood Pigeon

when the males are displaying : and the coo of the Crested Dove is

very weak; yet it carries a good distance.


The display of the male is extremely pretty, the tail being

thrown up and spread out, the wings showing the beautiful metallic

greens and violets, being opened out also.


But I must return to the aviaries, for the idea of turning out

the one pair of Crested Doves made one wander in the garden. In

another partition there are such birds as St. Helena Waxbills, Ruddy

Fire-Finches, Hooded and Columbian Siskins, only a male of the

latter, glossy blue-black above, brilliant daffodil-yellow below; and

also a pair of Purple Sugar-birds, which seem to do very well in

spite of having been out in the fickle changes of the English climate,

really hot as it was during part of April, and then so chilly that one

was glad of a fire to sit by.


So that I believe these Purple Sugar-birds will stand being' in

the aviary during the winter, when the radiators warm the roosting

houses and the electric light enables them to feed up till any hour of

the evening that they wish to.


Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Black-headed (I don’t think

much of the latter) occupy another partition, as well as another pair

of Blue Birds, always a delight; indeed there are few birds more

lovely and none more cheery. A male, when first the sunshine

begins to warm up in February, opening and shutting his wings,

warbling softly like an English Blackbird in the distance, his upper

parts coloured like the blue of the sky, his breast with the tones of

the old red sandstone of Herefordshire, is most beautiful.


A pair of Seed Snipe are also with these others; tripping

about on short legs and Plover-like feet. Apparently quite hardy.

And also a pair of the handsome Violet-necked Doves from Jamaica,

always nesting in the spring and summer, and invariably choosing

some foolish site, where the eggs or the young tumble off. I should



