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Correspondence



Equatorial West Africa, which I feel sure has never been imported and

probably never kept in captivity even in its own country, except

perhaps for a day or so by Mr. Bates’ native catchers.


This Combasou -Malimbus confusion can be almost certainly

attributed to the name “ nitens ”, and the slip will possibly intrigue

some future inquirer and furnish proof that the learned compiler of

this most useful list was no bird-fancier ; or, as I suppose I ought to say

here, no aviculturist.


E. H.



MONAULS AND TRAGOPANS


I read Mr. G. Beever’s article on “ Pheasants and other Birds ,y

in your July issue with a great interest. I have had Monaul and

Tragopan Pheasants in the Zoological section here for the last seven

years. The maximum temperature in the shade here is about 112 in

the hot weather, but it can go higher ; this year it reached 118. The

Monauls and Tragopans arrive here for sale, having been brought from

Lucknow or Calcutta in small wickerwork basket cages which are so

small that the birds’ heads and tails get badly damaged by rubbing

against the baskets. They usually arrive here at the beginning of the

hot weather, and although I know that these high elevation Pheasants

do not live well in this climate, I purchased them because they are

attractive exhibits and I know that on the journey from Jaipur to the

next place where they could be sold they would probably die. They

are only brought away from Calcutta when the dealers think they are

likely to die because of the heat. These thoroughly unsound birds live

with me from six months to two years. My aviary encloses two very

large trees, and I notice that both Monauls and Tragopans remain in

the trees most of their time. I had trouble with the Monauls’ beaks,

growing too long to enable them to pick up their food. I got over this

by burying their food daily under about 3 inches of fine shingle and

sand mixed. I have never seen any indication of these Pheasants

wishing to go to nest, although in the same cage I have had eggs from



