140



Correspondence , Notes, etc.



But Mr. Wiener is Mr. Wiener; so let us consider some of liis

objections to the aviary.


Mr. Wiener condemns the new structure at New York. In my ignor¬

ance I might have supposed that a building which could be subdivided into

eighty compartments would furnish accommodation fora good many birds

and allow of an unusual amount of sorting of species. But really this is not

to the point. Admitted that this particular structure is unsuitable (which

has yet to be proved), that is no reason why all aviaries should be unsuitable;

and it is the Regent’s Park temperature we have to take into account not

that of New York.


Mr. Wiener condemns the Canal Bank aviary. That it is not fault¬

less is apparent even to the naked eye. But Mr. Wiener is bound to admit

that in some respects it has been a success. There are other birds in the

world beside the parrots. Few species are more interesting in a large place

to the general observer than Choughs, Jackdaws, Magpies and the like.

Why is our handsome English Jay tabooed at the Zoo. ? Jays, Pies, Cissas,

Jay-Thrushes, Laughing-Thrushes, and heaps of other species may be kept

together if the aviary be large. And the Blue Pies (Urocissa) can be seen in

their glory only in a large place ; and even small hawks may be introduced.

But of course the delicate species must be withdrawn or sheltered in cold

weather.


Members of the parrot family are exceptional, needing exceptional

treatment, and even they are so diverse that they cannot all be tarred with

the same brush. In truth they like to climb, but to climb about trees—even

dead ones—and not up the wires of a tiny prison. They do enjoy a good fly,

and to all appearances are all the better for one, yes even happier. Mr.

Wiener omits to mention that many of the creatures which were placed with¬

out introduction into that aviary were old cage prisoners that had been

cribbed and confined for so long that they could not pick up strength at

short notice. I fancy that some of our antipodean members could tell us

that the soul of a Cockatoo sometimes rises above a climb. But many of the

parrots are as savage and bloodthirsty as birds of prey, and like them can¬

not be thrown together anyhow with impunity.


The Canal Bank aviary is far from perfect; let its imperfections be

borne in mind when other aviaries are about to be erected. But why

condemn aviaries in principle because some are not satisfactory ? How about

the many aviaries scattered over the country which have done good work in

the past ? How about the Western Aviaries at the Zoo ? And the huge one

in which Ibises and other strange fowl have bred ? Why even Mr. Wiener

praises the new Gulls’ Aviary, and refers to the Waders’ and European Wild

Birds’ as “indeed beautiful.” The principle of the aviary is good; but of

course intelligence and common sense must be applied in its construction,

and to the nature and number of the birds to be placed in each aviary. As

Mr. Wiener himself argues, birds cannot be packed together like stuffed



