E. G. B. Meade-Waldo—Ornithology and Aviculture 35


The ages to which birds live in a purely natural state can only be

guess-work, but as many species, including small passerine birds, live

long lives in confinement, it may be assumed that without accident

at least the same ages woidd be attained in a wild state. Keepers of

Waterfowl can note the changes of plumage of both sexes in their birds

far more correctly than it is possible to note them from skins or from

observing wild birds, as it is impossible to tell the ages of the latter

with any certainty. Wildfowl, of course, can be kept in a condition

almost the same as in nature. The extraordinary habits of the Sand-

grouse in conveying water to their young by the male saturating his

breast could never have been discovered except by accident in a wild

state, while the curious seasonal changes of plumage would have

remained a puzzle. The age to which these birds live could never have

been guessed by those who only know them wild or as skins. The

aviculturist has, I believe, not by any means overcome some of the

problems of aviculture. Why do the Flamingoes keep their rose-

coloured feathers in full beauty for years in confinement, often under

extremely unnatural feeding, while the Scarlet Ibis loses its colour at

once and never recovers it, but remains dull pink ? I am not sure that

it is easy to get the Linnet to retain its rose colour after having

moulted out in a cage ? While the Rose Finches never do ; the

Crossbill never resumes the full red colour after moulting. The Pine

Grosbeak keeps in perfect colour for years. Yellow and pink are the

two colours which remain a puzzle; in many cases when lost these never

are regained in their full brilliance. An example of this is in the Great

and Lesser Birds of Paradise. The yellow of the head in the adult birds

is replaced in confinement by a yellowish cream, all other colours are

replaced as in nature ; the same applies to the twelve-wired Bird of

Paradise, Seleucides niger.


It is by studying birds in confinement alone that the question of

colour change in feathers can be proved. My own experience is that

there is no change in the colour of any feather when it is once grown

beyond that of intensity of colouring dependent on the vigour of the

bird, all change must come through moult, tip-moulting, or abrasion.

It is to be hoped that these various questions may be taken up by

members of the Society. There is much of real interest in them both

to the aviculturist and the ornithologist.



