222



Capt. B. R. Horsbrugh,



dress resembling the hen except that the slate bine bars on the

back are missing. As far as I can ascertain these changes are

brought about by complete renewal of feathers, and all are

complete, but the eclipse plumage is only perfect in adult and

vigorous birds; otherwise the feathers that are first shed partake

of the character of breeding plumage and eclipse, and those last

moulted of eclipse and winter plumage.


The accompanying plate represents an adult male, P.

fiyre?iaic 7 is, in full breeding plumage and a chick about two

weeks old.



AVICULTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA.


By Captain B. R. Horsbrugh, A.S.C., M.B.O.U.


In writing of aviculture in S. Africa I think I should

mention that my own experiences have taken place solely in the

Orange River Colony, but at the same time I make no apologies

for the title of this article, as the general conditions throughout

South Africa in so far resemble each other as to bear much the

same relationship toward bird-life.


I have never kept birds in aviaries in the Transvaal or in

Cape Colony, but have trekked extensively through both and

have had many chances of observing birds in their wild state

and in captivity.


To the aviculturist out here the first of the many advan¬

tages toward bird-keeping is the constant sunlight. The nights

are often very cold, windy, and frosty, but the ever recurring

sunshine makes up for the hardships endured. True, there are

storms,—days when the heavens open up and pour down such a

volume of water as is seldom experienced in England, and it is

then that the flooded out aviary must take its chance, and a

shelter from the prevailing winds is an absolute necessity.


Sometimes hailstones as large as pigeon’s eggs occur with

disastrous consequences to birds roosting out of shelter; never¬

theless with any degree of luck and the careful placing of an

aviary I do not think the losses from storms need be extensive.

In the last ten months I have had at one time or another over

150 birds of different species, and the losses attributable to



