On Some Garden Pets.



263



ing as this. I have not watched more than two or three White-Eyes, and,

as I said, could not see any change in them at all ; but Miss R. Hubbard, in

her excellent book “ Ornamental Waterfowl,” mentions such a change. I

have, however, seen plenty of the Common Red-lieaded Pochard in summer

dress, and consider the plumage I describe for that species to be the normal

eclipse; but variation evidently occurs in it.—F. F.]



SOME GARDEN PETS.


By Mrs. Gregory.


I feel reluctant to write this account of my birds because

I know several members have kept Cranes much longer than I

have and know far more about them. But I have been asked to

write, with the accompanying photograph, by one whose wishes

I cannot refuse. Also I was told by a member who has seen

most of the large private collections in England, that he had

never seen any so tame as mine, this must be my excuse.


I have only kept Crowned, Common, and Demoiselle

Cranes. Of the latter I have had six : four were males and they

have more character and are more affectionate than the females,

besides being easier to tame. The Crane in the photograph,

which is coming towards me, I have had four years. He is nine

or ten years old now, as he was kept in England some years

before I had him. He is called Timothy, he knows his name and

will come to me when I call him. Sometimes he will walk up

and down the garden paths after me, and several times he has

walked into the drawing room through an open window and re¬

mained in the middle of the room till I left it. Being the oldest

male he rules the others and is the sentinel of the flock.


But he makes way for the Crowned Crane, who always

insists on eating first, and as the latter is a very greedy bird and

takes his time over his meals, not snatching at the grain in the

hurried way Demoiselles have. I have sometimes seen him

calmly taking a nap on one leg, over the seed box, while the

other Cranes are patiently waiting their turn behind. I give

them equal quantities of wheat, dari, and “ husk rice,” the two

latter are their favourite food. I have never yet had a Crane

which would eat either barley meal or earth worms, though I

have been told they will do so. Shrimps they like and monkey



