HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 



but a humble, vulgar kestrel, one of the common- 

 est and meanest of the Accipitres ! There is a 

 French proverb which says " Faute de grives on 

 mange des merles," to \vh : ch the politician may 

 say with equal truth, " Faute d'aigle, une cres- 

 serelle. " French Imperialism is dead. The vanity 

 of human greatness was further impressed on my 

 ornithologist's mind a few days later, when, stand- 

 ing musing on the Place d'Armes, before the 

 Palace of Versailles, I observed with satisfaction 

 a pair of sparrows perched on the colossal statue 

 of Louis XIV. , and constructing their untidy nest 

 in the periwig of the Grand Monarque. 



-©- 



Hutchins Goose Breeds in 

 Captivity. 



By Frederick W. D'Evely.v, of San Francisco. 



On May 27th the Vice-President, George T. 

 Marsh, and writer, were invited by Mr. John 

 McLaren, Superintendent of Golden Gate Park, 

 San Francisco, to make a special visit to Stowe 

 Lake to see "the wild goose and goslings." After 

 we had circled around the lake the group were 

 ultimately located on one of the islets probably 

 150 yards from where we were standing, close 

 to the location of a feed box. Whether in appre- 

 ciation of the "distinguished visitors" or the 

 psychic influence of the Master of the Domain, 

 after repeated calling by the Superintendent the 

 entire group which had been sunning itself on 

 the grassy slope took to the water and the fleet 

 set sail bravely and grandly. It was indeed a 

 novel sight; three white-cheeked, adult, wild 

 geese, stately and dignified, escorting a flotilla 

 of eight husky month old goslings, swimming 

 under orders towards a; group of humans, demon- 

 strating, as Hornaday would say "that the most 

 interesting side of a wild animal is its mental 

 processes as revealed in its actions and daily 

 life." The mental action or something equally 

 significant brought the group to anchor within 

 a few feet of where we were anxiously awaiting 

 its arrival. Whether the extra adult was an 

 affinity or merely a relative, was only lightly de- 

 bated. The Superintendent, as a time old friend 

 of wild life, graciously favoured the latter; the 

 "keen" business man had his doubts, while the 

 more intimately associated professional man con- 

 cluded it was "wiser to forget." The ornitho- 

 logical point of interest is that these birds Branta 

 canadensis hutchensi had been in the lake for 

 nearly twenty years during which time no> evi- 

 dence of mating or incubation had been recorded 

 until this eminently satisfactory effort. The gos- 



lings were in excellent condition and may possibly 

 be the first brood of wild geese normally hatched 

 in captivity. The Hutchins Goose while formerly 

 a very common species in California is now tabu- 

 lated "on the decrease." This fact adds still 

 more interest to the future of the goslings of 

 Stowe Lake and the possibility of at least a rem- 

 nant being thus preserved. 



The Roller Canary Manual. 



Bv R. DUGDILL. 



I have received a copy of this very interest- 

 ing Roller Canary Manual, which evidently has 

 been compiled with great care by its talented 

 author. 



All lovers of the Roller Canaries should sub- 

 scribe without any delay. 



Below are the particulars of the text book. 



Chapters on : — 

 A Brief Historical Sketch of the Roller Canary. 

 The Song of the Roller. 

 The Song Tours of the Roller Canary. 

 The Selection and Purchase of Stock. 

 The Winter Management of Hens. 

 Management during the Breeding Season. 

 Training. 



Training without a Tutor. 

 Preparing Birds for Contests. 

 Exhibiting. 



How Rollers are Judged. 

 The Feeding of Rollers. 

 Seeds and Foods. 

 Sickness. 



Establishing a Strain. 

 Beautifying the Roller. 

 Full List of Clubs with Map. 

 List of Secretaries, Judges, Etc. 



Illustrated. Price 2/-, Post Free. From the 

 Author, R. Dugdill, 176, Valley Road, Streat- 

 ham, London, S.W. 16. 



N.B. — In view of the present high cost of 

 production it has been found necessary to limit 

 the number of copies, so that immediate and 

 early application for them is recommended. 



