208



Correspondence , Notes, etc.



These are only given as examples of the possibilities of instruction

and interest which cages would render possible, and which would be capable

of infinite variety according to the season and living examples at hand.

At the same time, of course, in a public garden one would naturally expect

a few large aviaries, which would in fact become a necessity, in order to

accommodate surplus stock, or the sudden arrival of large consignments;

but every garden should, in my opinion, have many of these so-called

“ cages,” and I would also suggest that their contents should be varied

from time to time in order to illustrate new phases of habits or variations-

of plumage in allied species, etc., etc., according to the living material

available.


From the point of view of the private aviculturist the case is some¬

what different. If his object be chiefly to breed rare species he will of

course favour ‘cages’; if his object be rather to keep a crowd of rare and

beautiful birds he will have a few aviaries ; if his object be scientific he

will have to go in for both cages and aviaries, so that his methods will

naturally have to vary according to his purse, his inclinations, and his

object, but after this discussion he will at least be in a position to consider

the question of cage v. aviary from a new and more enlightened stand¬

point. ' J- Lewis Bonhote.


THE HONEY BUZZARD IN CAPTIVITY.


The Honey Buzzard is a species very seldom kept in captivity, so that

the account of one kept by Mr. J. G. Millais, which appeared in the Field

of Feb. 24th last is of great interest. The bird had been wounded by a shot,

at the tip of its wing and, being otherwise uninjured, Mr. Millais determined

to keep it alive if possible, and he found it by far the most interesting pet

he ever possessed. Regarding its food he writes, “ For more than a week it

refused all food, so that I feared it would soon die of starvation. Little

birds, frogs, and insects were offered in vain, and only as an experiment did

I force a French plum down its throat, for that was the nearest approach

to honey at hand. To my surprise the bird picked up and swallowed the

next plum with avidity, and from that moment I had no trouble with the

menu. It lived on French plums and their juice for a month, when I

managed to procure heather honey from Scotland ; and principally on this-

diet, varied with the contents of an occasional wasp’s nest in September, I

kept it until the end of the winter. As an instance of the extraordinary

tastes of this species, I may mention that Lord Lilford fed his bird on rice

pudding.”


The bird was of a most amiable and gentle disposition, and became

greatly attached to its owner to whom it would fly on his approach. It was

carried about the garden on Mr. Millais’ arm and he carried it about in

search of bees and wasps, which it captured with remarkable grace and

certainty, sailing on steady pinions up to the insect, by which it alighted,

giving it a nip with its beak and then swallowing it.



