118 Correspondence



AGE OF SILVER PHEASANTS


I received a letter at Christmas regarding some Silver Pheasants that

I reared in Natal. I gave these to a friend in 1922, and he writes that they

are still alive and doing well. These must have been hatched in 1921 or 1922,

I cannot remember which, because I left Natal early in 1923.


P. W. Teague.



WHITE-NECKED OR TROPICAL CROWS IN KENYA


The birds we have are hand-reared, and are allowed to run loose round

the house, roosting at night in a wire and thatch hut. Their wings have been

clipped, but they can fly sufficiently to get up a small tree. We have not

liked to try allowing them their full flight, as occasionally wild Crows swoop

down and call to ours, and try to lure them away. These Crows, which are

scientifically known as Corvus scapulatus or alhus, are about the size of

Jackdaws and are striking looking, with their white collars and chests. The

rest of the feathers are blue black and glossy. They are clever fielders,

and catch small pieces of bread (they like it buttered) with a loud snap of

their bills. They make a variety of curious and amusing sounds. They

gurgle and caw softly, then loudly, and in different tones, and some combina¬

tions of sound almost like words ; but I have never heard them imitate,

although they might if kept apart. With their feathers fluffed up, heads

on one side, and wings spread out, they gurgle and caw to each other—and

sometimes to one of us humans. If we are sitting quietly in the verandah

they will sit on a chair-back within a foot or two and gurgle away just as

they do to each other. At 11 a.m. they have their bath, preen themselves, then

chase with their funny hops the chickens and dogs, whose tails they twitch

if they get near enough. They examine and turn everything over, throw

things about, and even quite heavy things are dragged off tables and shelves

and, if light enough, carried outside and thrown away.


They can fill their pouches with food, which they sometimes bury in the

flower beds. I think they are quite carnivorous and suspect them of having

dispatched a lame Dove which was hopping around one day. They certainly

eat hens’ eggs, which they carry about in their bills.


My husband reared these chicks, brought by natives from a nest in a tree

by the river. He did not find it easy, as they were rather old, and would

not open their bills to be fed. They had to be stuffed for several weeks,

doing best on raw fiver, and later on took boiled maize, but never seemed

to do really well until let out to forage for themselves in the open Three

were reared, and two became great friends, dancing (hopping, rather) to each

other, cawing and spreading out their wings, and putting their beaks at

each other in an affectionate sort of way. Unfortunately a Toto, strange to

the place, saw one Crow and, mistaking it for a wild one, threw a stick in the

usual native way and broke its leg. Since then the two remaining Crows

have kept together, but obviously do not enjoy each other’s company, and

sometimes the larger of the two will try to drive the other off.


Tropical Crows are not common round here, they seem to like the hot,

low-lying districts better, and at Kisi, near Lake Victoria, I have seen about

fifty of them looking over the native market when business was over.


A. Royston.



