The Importance of Aviculture. 665 



is a simpler matter still for those who possess large estates. 

 Much valuable work ought to be accomplished in the various 

 Zoological Gardens, considering the splendid material there 

 to work upon. It is very satisfactory to notice how much 

 more is being done at our London Zoological Gardens 

 now than formerly ; one may mention, for example, the 

 breeding last year of the Brush Turkeys and the Crested 

 Screamers (Chauna cristata), the last of which had never 

 bred in captivity before, and practically nothing was known 

 of its breeding habits, or of its young. But the difficulty 

 the authorities have to contend with is the fact that the 

 birds must be kept more or less " on show," and submit to 

 the prying eyes of hundreds of visitors, and under such 

 conditions they must be somewhat accommodating if they 

 will condescend to build their -nests and rear their young : 

 hence private aviculturists have the advantage in this 

 respect. 



I propose now to bring to your notice a few instances as 

 showing something of what has been done, by the study of 

 captive birds, to advance our knowledge of the Avian 

 kingdom. 



Certainly some of the most important discoveries directly 

 attributable to Aviculture are those made by Mr. Meade- 

 Waldo, who, besides being a very enthusiastic aviculturist, 

 is one of the best field-naturalists of the day. His observa- 

 tions on the habits of some of the Sand-Grouse are of the 

 greatest interest and scientific importance. He has kept in 

 his aviaries for some years specimens of the Greater Pin- 

 tailed Sand-Grouse (Pteroclurus alchatus), and these have 

 repeatedly nested and successfully hatched and reared their 

 young. 



Now, when wild, these birds breed in the dry sandy desert, 

 often far from water, and, since the young are fed on more or 

 less dry seed, it is necessary for the parents to convey 

 moisture to them. 



In order to do this the birds fly to the nearest water they 

 can find and then commence to dip their breasts into it and 

 saturate the feathers. They then fly straight home to the 

 young, who proceed to suck off the water. 



Mr. Meade- Waldo has seen the wild birds procuring water 



