22



Wm. Shobe Baily,



than the one last mentioned, having the head and neck grey and the

rest of the body purple. These were great climbers, and spent a

good deal of their time in the branches of the trees and shrubs that

were growing in their enclosure. They made no attempt to breed

whilst in my possession, but neither did they molest the other birds

kept with them. Both these varieties were very fond of dead mice,

which at that time were unpleasantly numerous in all my aviaries,

and a day seldom passed without their having one or two for break¬

fast. They were also keen on lettuce and similar green-stuff. Their

other food was principally the waste seed from the other birds’

tables, so that they were easy to cater for. These are large birds,

and so are not suitable for the ordinary aviculturist, but since then I

have had several smaller varieties that might easily be kept in most

aviaries, and would be quite likely to breed. The most attractive of

these both in looks and manners is my Amazon Bail. I don’t know

its scientific name, but it is possible that some of your readers may

be able to name it for me.* In general body-colour it is rufous, the

neck and face bluish-grey, top of head rufous, tail and abdomen

black, legs carmine, bill greenish-yellow, eye very prominent and

rich ruby red. Size about as our Moorhen. Two came over, but one

escaped when in the hands of the dealer. My bird is absolutely

tame, and loves to be petted. Its call is an extremely clear whistle :

Pip-pop! Pip-pop! Pip-pop-pop-pop! many times repeated. It is

quite as loud or louder than the whistle of our Curlew, and could be

heard I should think even further. It will always sing to order for

my wife or children, but the writer it greets with a few low grunts,

which have a weird effect when coming from the centre of a thick

growth of water-weeds. This winter it met with a disaster, getting

its feet and legs frost-bitten. We did everything possible for it,

amongst other things giving it iodine baths for several weeks, but all

was without avail. One morning I found that one of its legs had

broken off, so as the other seemed likely to follow suit I amputated

it. The stumps quickly healed, and it is now as well as ever, except

that its body is some six inches nearer the ground than formerly. It

gets about very well, but it is not now able to run races with my



* [The Chiricote Eail (At amides cay tinea chiricote), a subspecies of the “ Cayenne

Gallinule” of Latham (Aramides cayanea ).— Gf. E. [



