34



Karl Plath—Notes from a Chicago Aviary



separate dish has a small quantity of scalded chopped heart and chopped

hard-boiled egg. This is primarily for the few shore birds I have, though

all of the birds take some of the egg.


I have often wondered why there are not more people interested

in aviculture in this large city of nearly four million inhabitants yet

except for a few estates in the adjoining suburbs which may have a

few Pheasants or Ducks or Peafowl no one seems to go in for the

keeping of birds. Of course, there are single cages of birds but the

rarities are the exception. In all the years of my keeping birds and

the several years of my interest in the American Avicultural Society

I have only known of one other person having more than, say, twenty

birds, and he was the late Mr. Metzger, who so unselfishly gave of

his time and funds to further the interests of the magazine Aviculture

of which he was the editor.


To return to my own inside aviary. It is so arranged that it serves

as an acclimatizing station, for the large window about 5 feet square

opens out on to an outside extension where the birds may enjoy the

warmth of the day and yet have protection from the sudden chills

of night. So that by the time they are ready to be put downstairs in

the garden aviary or after they are brought up to their winter quarters

they are quite well accustomed to the change.


Concealed in the wall are two 100-watt lamps so that on dark days

or in the evening there is an abundance of light. As I write in my studio

I have an unobstructed view of the aviary and it does not need much

imagination to fancy oneself many miles away in a sunny outdoor

region. Perhaps the most gorgeous of all the birds and the ones which

immediately intrude on one’s consciousness are the gorgeous Fairy

Bluebirds (Irena turcosa). I have a true pair and the male has the upper

parts a most beautiful shade of cerulean blue which in certain fights

changes to turquoise. These upper feathers are highly polished and

gleam and flash with every movement. They are in startling contrast

to the velvety jet black of the lower parts and sides of the head in

which the ruby-coloured eye is set off beautifully. The female is slightly

smaller and in colour reminds me of a gigantic Indigo Bunting though

the colour is a bit duller. When the birds sit side by side her colour

inclines to greenish blue. She is also a handsome bird and if she were



