70 J. Delacour—Some Birds in my Aviaries


some of the birds became mute and died after a month's disease. The

bird I still have lives out of doors in the large aviary, where I keep my

Magpies, Jays, Toucans, Hornbills, etc., and is in perfect condition. I

shall add that these Grey Touracous are rather clumsy in their ways, and

not nearly so attractive as the green species.


Out of the four Long-tailed Pied Shrikes that I received, two died

quickly. The other two lived about a year, and I must confess that

I was pleased to see them go ! They should be quite nice in good

plumage, but they are so wild and restless, that they always damage

their feathers, even in a large aviary. I have not seen mine with their

long whydah-like tail more than a couple of months. And one never

knows how to keep them ; they seem very unhappy in a cage ; I tried

to put them in the Magpies’ aviary, but they were bullied by them.

I put them with smaller birds, of their own size ; the Shrike killed

several of them. One should give them a large aviary to themselves,

and they are not worth it. They are not difficult on the food question,

being quite satisfied with Duquesne insectivorous food and meat.


About two years ago I received a consignment of five Cuban Trogons,

in miserable condition, in fact they were nothing but lumps of dirty

broken feathers. Three died shortly, but two recovered, moulted out,

and became the most charming birds one could wish to possess.

Unfortunately, one died of stoppage of the intestines from having

swallowed the hard skin of some coarse grape. With Trogons and

Birds of Paradise it is essential not to give them any chance of eating

hard food, as they invariably die when they eat it. My last Trogon

is in the best of health, and now moulting for the second time with me.

It is a very tame and sensible bird, with the most gorgeous green, pearl-

grey, white, black, and crimson dress.


My largest outdoor aviary, which connects with a heated room,

contains a fair number of Magpies, such as Acalie (Cyanocorax

chrysops), Blue ( C. cceruleus), San Blasian, Beechey’s (Cissolopha

sanblasiana and C. beecheyi), Himalayan Blue (TJrocissa occipitalis),

Wandering Tree Pies (Dendrocitta rufa), African Black (Cryptorhina

afra) ; an Australian Piping Crow ; some Toucans and Hornbills, long¬

tailed Glossy Starlings and Mexican Rails (Aramides albiventris) ; all

these birds agree very well together, and make a very good show.

There is never any fighting between them.



