W. H. Workman—Demoiselle Cranes



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DEMOISELLE CRANES


By W. H. Workman, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.


In all the papers on this side of the Atlantic, and on the other,

which are devoted to onr favourite hobby we find innumerable articles

on, and directions how to feed and care for, all the small birds, especially

those belonging to the Passeres or perching family of birds, and of these

I think the Waxbills and Weavers get most attention. Now with

our editor’s permission I should like very much to give some infor¬

mation about the larger birds which can be kept in captivity, either

loose about one’s garden or in an aviary, and here let me remark that

quite large birds can be kept in a garden say in the suburbs of any

of our big cities with most excellent results as far as the health of the

birds is concerned and with the greatest pleasure to their owner and

his friends.


Lord Tavistock, in his article on Cranes in Aviculture , commences

with these words : “ Anyone who has a park or large space at his

disposal will find Cranes extremely interesting to keep. Their large

size, majestic deportment, and beautiful plumage, are all points in their

favour ; besides which they are easily fed, most are hardy, and the

probability that they will live at least half as long as their owner.”


Therefore as a start I want to tell you all about my pair of

Demoiselle Cranes (Anthrojpoides virgo) and how I made up my mind

to try them in quite a small garden about J acre in area. When

I read in the above article how that the birds would live for half a life

time I made up my mind to get busy at once as I am sorry to say half

a life time is past for me, so with any luck on both sides if I were

to enjoy my Cranes for a long time the sooner I got them the better.


Now I had the very best of good luck for I got a present (just think

of it) from a very well-known aviculturist of a most beautiful pair

of Demoiselles. They arrived at my place from the London Zoo where

they had been deposited for pinioning. This slight operation had been

most successfully carried out and I would state here and now that it

is most necessary to have Cranes pinioned, otherwise some fine day

you will find the birds flown, I will describe the operation later.


The Cranes arrived in a huge case about 4 ft. 6 in. each way,



