Bird-feeding in India.



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two in wicker cages) the box cages have wire fronts of the weakest

description, a finger pressure would snap my bars, yet my Crows

have never damaged these in any way and they have been in

use for years.


As for being “smelly birds” that expression can never be

applied to birds properly attended to, that is, cleaned out every

day, well sanded tray, and lastly, given the very best fresh raw meat.


Many pet canaries that have been brought under my reluctant

notice deserve the unpleasant expression “smelly” far more than

the poor bird of prey. Personally, I never find it necessary to wear

thick leather gloves in handling this or any other bird. If a clumsy

handler gets bitten, I fear my only verdict would be “ serve him

right.”


Now, I trust Mr. Farrar will forgive me for “ having a bone

to pick with him,” I have tried to defend the bird’s personal

character, but the poets of his native land sing his praises best and

sweetest.


‘ ‘ The Magpie midst the wattle-blooms

Is singing loud and long :


What fragrance in the scatter’d scent,


What magic in the song ! ’ ’


* * *


‘ ‘ Among the stringy barks a crowd

Of dazzing Parrakeets,


But high o’er all the Magpie loud

His joyous song repeats.”



BIRD-FEEDING IN INDIA.


By Aubyn Trevor-Battye.


Before coming to the actual subject of these photographs, it

may be as well to say something about the people who put up the

bird-feeding structures shown. There is in the west of India a

religious group of people who number about a million and a quarter

and are called Jains. They are not—like the Sikhs — an offset from

the Hindu faith, but were independently founded at about the same

date as Buddhism, five hundred years or so before the Christian era.

They are distinguished both from the Hindu and the Buddhist by

several characteristics independently of their religion. They have,



