122



Mr. Kenneth Woodward,



certainly written more than I should have done if success had been

given to me with less observation, but I should like to make it clear

that much of my spying was done from a greenhouse which is close

up to the aviary and from which point of vantage I could watch the

birds quite unseen by them.


Knowing what I do, I feel certain that I could rear these

birds successfully next year, but, alas! that will not be, for their

owner has very generously presented them to the Zoological Society.

That he did wisely I do not question, for, instead of pleasing a single

selfish aviculturist, he will be giving pleasure to scores of others also

interested in birds. Whether the Society will succeed where I have

failed remains to be seen. I do not wish Mr. Seth-Smith anything

but good luck, but at the same time I shall be nettled if he “ wipes

my eye.”


I have to thank him for the photo of the adult Blue and Black

Pie which he has kindly given me. The sexes are alike, but the hen

is a larger bird than the cock. This may be the rule, as stated by

Ridgway, or it may be due to the fact that the hen had the very best

of care since her importation, during which time she has won more

than one prize for her first owner.


Of the Corvidae which I have kept I prefer the present species to

the Occipital Blue Pie. Although the colouring is not so brilliant,

the birds themselves are more tractable and less predatory in

appearance. By far the most attractive of the wdiole genus, to my

mind, however, is the much smaller Chinese Blue-wdnged Magpie,

of which there have been very few on the market of late.



MY PET TOUCAN,


By Kenneth Woodward.


We all have our favorite bird, and mine is a Toucan or

Toucanette ( Aracari ), called the “Gentleman,” and the freshest

thing I ever owned. He is now biting the pencil and my fingers as

I try to compose this letter ; but if the Editor wants my unscientific

jottings, let us start at the beginning. Looking around a shop

fifteen months ago, acquaintance was first struck up by scratching



