Sir Williain I/igrain's Birds of Paradise. 337 
uinl ill front of Bobs' house and right, away over a wido, deep valley, 
which borders on the shore while we sat watching for them. What a 
thrill of joy ran through one's whole make-up at this sight. Shortly 
after these had passed out of sight another followed in the same direction. 
Their flight was deliberate and proved to one that three of them were 
hale, hearty and strong after a residence of five years, as we under- 
stand thai it is now about that time since Sir William sent the batch 
to this, their new West Indian home. Not one, however, was heard or 
anothe; seen. Bob says they are very, very shy, but impervious, or 
indifferent to sound, because when he had shol a Hawk, or a Yellow-tail 
bird, for instance, which may have been closo io a Bird of Paradise, the 
latter has not made way out of sight or been dist\irbed, through the re- 
port of the gun, and only flew away when they saw him. On Bobs' 
te&timoiij-. it might be as well to say in the interest of ornithology, that 
these valued birds are as carnivorous in their habits as has been proved 
to be tht case with the Yellow-tail (Cassique). Little Tobago is of con- 
siderable size and supports a wild vegetation of herbs, shrubs, and trees, 
among which are numbers common to Tobago, as is also, it might be 
remarked, the ease vi'ith wild birds of which c^uautities of many kinds were 
seen . Before one forgets to do so, let xis record at once that the only 
company thi.s modern Bobinson Crusoe had, were a donkey in prime 
condition, and a dog. Concrete-made water vessels were seen in various 
shaded parts, which had been placed for the use of the Birds of Para- 
disc, but as Bobs said, th(! wild ones obtain the biggest share for 
th.i:y are always going to these troughs to get a drink . For food the 
paw pau plant has been established, as the imported birds are very 
fond of the fruit; and so too again, are the native ones. Eoughly, for 
the information of those who do not know them, one might compare in 
size this particular species of Paradise bird with the European -Tay or 
of the Yellow-tail of thes'-' parts. In colour they are brown, so far as 
we could judge from the three individuals referred to herein, and in flight 
they passed through the air in an undulating mann.T, something like that 
assumed by our Oats-Bird. It takes seven j^ears, it appears, before the 
plumage is fully developed. Then how long does a Bird ot Paradiso 
last before the normal time arrives for it to die ? In a lesser way, 
Little Tobago, is famous for the wild fowl — those which have ios'^ended 
from the original, domesticated fowls that were taken there in the first 
instance by a former owner or occupant of the island . It was our 
pleasure to see one of the wild hens, and to hear some of her chickens 
crying with alarm but all the same hidden away out of sight among the 
growths . 
(To he continued) . 
♦ 
Correspondence. 
REAEING BLACK-CHEEKED LOVEBIRDS BY HAND. 
Sir, — It may be of interest if I state that I have hand -reared 
three more Black-cheeked Lovebirds, making eight in all this summer, 
