and other Notes on Birds at The Vern



145



After the mouse episodes, I caught up most Hummers and kept them

in my bathroom, while a concrete floor was being put in and other

alterations made. This greenhouse now has a shelf about 2 feet wide

running along the front and one end ; on this I have some deciduous

tropical creepers trained up under the glass and, in front of these,

various orchids (Cymbidiums seem the most satisfactory and look very

beautiful) and Crotons and other plants. On the back wall there are

pots of orchids held in small metal hoops driven into the wall, and

groups of other larger plants in pots on the floor. All can be kept washed

down and sprayed as often as the weather permits.


About 4 inches underneath the top shelf there is another slightly

narrower shelf, planted with small trailing leafy greenhouse plants

(this is always kept moist) ; and about 9 inches below that there are the

hot pipes covered with perforated zinc in front, and boards resting on

^inc on top—so that birds can’t overcook their feet !


The whole thing, though it doesn’t look like a tropical forest,

gives the appearance of being very pleasant and somewhat exotic,

and it has the advantage of being easily cleaned and kept sweet.


The Pittas died in this place before conversion was complete

(I don’t think the earth floor, which was apt to get sour, did them any

good), and I lost three very rare Ground Tyrants—a race whose natural

food and living conditions must, I think, be very hard to reproduce—

but the Hummers look as fit as possible, and are an absolute delight. A

pair of Lesser Niltavas (Niltava macgreorice) have moulted and are now

perfect ; the cock sings charmingly, and they are tremendous favourites ;

and a very rare and rather wild Ant Thrush (Formicarius cola), brought

over, as were most of the Hummers, by M. Cordier, seems to be extremely

healthy. In a day or two this bird is being turned into an outside

aviary, and I am looking forward to seeing him there. This bird has

a golden—shading to chocolate—crown, dull dark green back, sooty to

inky throat, chest, and belly, and a tail sticking straight up into the

air. He is, perhaps, rather more “ Rail-like ” in appearance than the

Short-tailed Ant Thrush that I brought over last year, and that many

members must have seen at Mr. Ezra’s in the summer and at the

“ People’s ” and the “ Palace ” Shows, but he has the same distinguished

walk.



