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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



black babies, less sure of themselves, scam- 

 pered along the wire mesh beneath her. 



Other gibbons lived in the tall trees of 

 two islands in a little lake, where their 

 antics as they swung through the branches 

 were most amusing. Formerly all had 

 ranged at freedom, but this had to be 

 checked when the band began visiting the 

 church in the village to ring the bell at in- 

 opportune times. 



The lake, the stream, and the meadows 

 were filled with waterfowl. Geese of a 

 dozen kinds, a screamer from Argentina, 

 long-legged cranes, and curve-billed ibises 

 stalked about in the grass. Dozens of 

 ducks of many varieties, including such 

 difficult species as eiders and shovellers, 

 swam in the water, and flocks of flamingos 

 waded in the shallows. Across a road were 

 sheltered, fenced pools for other waterfowl. 

 The entire collection was one to equal that 

 of any zoo. 



AVICULTURE IS POPULAR IN BTRD-LOVING 

 ENGLAND 



While aviculture is rapidly spreading in 

 America, it probably has more devotees in 

 England than elsewhere in the world at 

 present (page 779). In any home in London 

 it is common to see a large aviary cage or 

 two, with from one to a dozen birds, and in 

 country establishments aviaries of varying 

 size are the regular accompaniment of the 

 other interests that pertain to life. 



Such aviaries may range from a flight or 

 two to extensive parks like that of my 

 friend Mr. Alfred Ezra at Foxwarren Park, 

 in Surrey, where last May, among scores of 

 smaller birds, I saw such rare species as the 

 pink-headed duck from India, a pair of 

 Stanley cranes with a nest and young, and 

 great sarus cranes at freedom flying with 

 trumpet calls over the meadows. 



"soft-bills" need extra care 



There are two principal categories of 

 birds in the vocabulary of those interested 

 in species suited for cage and aviary — the 

 "hard-bills," including those that feed on 

 seeds, and the "soft-bills," which normally 

 eat insects and fruits. The seed-eating 

 species are those most common in captivity, 

 as their food is easily obtained and their 

 care entails a minimum of labor. These in- 

 clude the common canary and a host of 

 sparrows, weaver birds, and others. 



The soft-bills are found in the hands of 

 those who have more leisure and who often 



become highly expert in the handling and 

 care of difficult and unusual species. 



A common food palatable to many soft- 

 bills is manufactured from bread crumbs 

 to which grated hard-boiled egg, dried beef 

 heart, grated carrot, cottage cheese, dried 

 insect preparations, and various other in- 

 gredients are added according to the needs 

 of the birds concerned. Many soft-billed 

 species subsist largely on fruits. 



These statements are not a formula for 

 the preparation of a standard food for 

 aviary use, but are merely an indication of 

 the types required for different kinds of 

 birds. The details of the proper prepara- 

 tion of soft foods are available in standard 

 treatises on aviculture, which contain also 

 information regarding the care of cages, the 

 handling and breeding of birds, diseases, 

 and the many other details that confront 

 the bird keeper. 



Bird and pet stores, with their interest- 

 ing displays, are familiar to most of us, and 

 .some may have seen the larger establish- 

 ments of wholesale dealers, where hundreds 

 of canaries sing happily in little individual 

 wicker cages (page 777), or scores of weaver 

 birds and other small species live in flutter- 

 ing confusion in larger quarters. A more 

 unusual sight is one of the bird markets of 

 tropical America (page 802). 



brilliant tropical birds for sale 



One day last winter as I passed the great 

 central market in Caracas, capital of \'ene- 

 zuela, I came to an outdoor section where 

 row on row of wicker and wire cages, each 

 with its captive birds, were ranged on the 

 pavement or on low benches elevated above 

 the ground. The air was warm and the 

 owners of this display rested in the shade 

 in endless conversation with friends and 

 possible customers. 



In the cages were brilliant little tanagers 

 dressed in yellow, gold, green, and blue, 

 blue honey creepers, others with yellow 

 breasts, an occasional cardinal from the 

 desert area about Barquisimeto, native 

 meadowlarks from the fields near INIaracay, 

 red siskins, others dressed in yellow and 

 black, troupials, large light-gray mocking- 

 birds, euphonias, saffron finches, a few hum- 

 mingbirds, and, of course, canaries, all feed- 

 ing, preening, and fluttering about, calling 

 and even singing amid all the busy con- 

 fusion of the city. 



Residents and visitors paused frequently 

 to admire the birds or to inquire a price. 



