1026 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY [BULLETIN 



OUT-DOOR AVIARY OF MR. KENYON V. PAINTER, CLEVELAND, OHIO. 



Section No. 1 



newly imported species, and time and expense 

 form no obstacle in this pursuit. There is the 

 keenest possible rivalry over the first breeding 

 of each species, and a medal is awarded by the 

 societies to the member first recording this 

 happy event, together with certain data, which 

 are of great scientific value. 



America has been slow to develop interest 

 in foreign bird keeping, but there is no doubt 

 that it is now awakening to the many possibili- 

 ties of this fascinating pursuit. More rare and 

 unusual birds are being imported than ever 

 before, and it seems probable that in a few 

 years the aviary will be an adjunct of many 

 well-appointed country homes. 



Even now a few amateur aviculturists are 

 seriously interested in the subject, and one of 

 the foremost of these is Kenyon V. Painter of 

 Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Painter's aviaries are 

 an excellent example of what can be done in 

 private enterprises of the sort, in which the 

 exhibition value to the public needs no con- 

 sideration. Everything possible has been done 

 for the comfort of the birds, and their remark- 

 ably good condition and perfect confidence in 

 the occasional visitors that enter the enclosures 

 is evidence that the plans were well thought 

 out. An effort has been made to avoid all 

 common birds, with the result that this collec- 

 tion probably contains more rarities than are 

 in the possession of any other American ama- 

 teur. Several species could hardly be dupli- 

 cated in any other collection in existence. 



Mr. Painter takes the greatest delight in 

 securing his own specimens, when visiting- 



foreign countries, and most of the rarities in 

 his aviaries have accompanied him on his 

 return from these trips. Thus many species 

 have been acquired which never appear 

 through the ordinary channels of the bird 

 market. 



The main building, which is one hundred 

 feet long by thirty feet wide, is built of con- 

 crete, with a floor of red tile. One-half of the 

 width of the floor space is devoted to the 

 accommodation of visitors, the remainder being 

 divided into five cages, each twenty feet in 

 length. These enclosures are heated from pipes 

 laid under the floor and are well lighted by 

 means of skylights. Each compartment has a 

 corresponding out-door fly, twenty by fourteen, 

 with the exception of the center one, which is 

 connected with a low-domed flying-cage, about 

 fifty feet in diameter. This cage, like all of the 

 others, is well sodded, and provided with an 

 abundance of small trees and shrubs, while 

 two rustic benches greatly increase the possi- 

 bilities of enjoyment by the visitor. 



At the left of the main building is a wing, 

 divided into eight cages, each with a small fly 

 attached. Here are kept pairs of various birds 

 which show indications of a willingness to breed. 



Of the four cages in the main house, the first 

 contained, among others, racket-tailed and 

 white-bellied drongos, two Aracari toucans, a 

 female spot-billed tucanet and rufous-backed 

 shrike. 



The next is devoted to a variety of small 

 birds, many of them of great interest. Among 

 them were a Nilgiri thrush, a male Japanese 



