On White-crested Thrushes.



297



Next season, if all is well, I hope to have thirty or forty

sacks of dried leaves ready for them, in which case the little

ones may be able to find their way out of the mound without

human assistance. Of course a dry season is most essential and

a lot of rain very detrimental.



WHITE-CRESTED THRUSHES. #


By the Rev. C. D. Farrar.


I11 Trinidad there is a certain little brown fish called the

Cascaladon, possessing a flavour of the most subtle, entrancing,

and captivating description. So much so, indeed, that it is said

if a man eat of it, he shall never leave again Trinidad. None,

having once partaken, are able to tear themselves away from the

fish. All the helpless creatures can do is to succumb, and live

and eat and die within reach of it.


That is much my present position. Some two years ago I

was reluctantly compelled to give up birds—as I then thought

for ever. So certain was I of this, that I not only sold the birds,

but even pulled down the aviaries, on the principle, I believe, of

removing temptation ; and yet here I am to-day, with bird fever

as bad as ever. I am beginning in a very humble way, with

only just a few pairs; and yet I am just as keen to begin as a

heifer is for salt; but still I bear in mind the old Batin motto,

Festina lente— Go slowly. In getting together a collection of

birds you must bide your time and watch your opportunity.

Dimidium facti , aui bene cepit , habet. This is not intuitive

wisdom 011 my part, but is gathered slowly and painfully among

the thorns of experience.


Now in starting to keep birds afresh, I find one of the

greatest difficulties is to secure pairs. Man is sent into the

world unfinished. Nature seems to say to him, “You are in¬

complete : I have made the other part of you, but I do not

remember where I put it: you will have to hunt for it.” It is

much the same with birds—the pairs are there if you can only

find them.



Presumably the White-crested Jay-Thrusli (Garrulax leucolophus) of the Himalayas.—E d.



