C. S. Webb—The Parrot Ban and the Future of Aviculture 2Q1


Scarlet Tanager, 8J years, magnificent ; Orange Bishop, 11J years, still

goes to shows and always wins a pretty good card, but owing to colour

feeding (which I think should not be permitted with foreign birds, and

I refuse to do it, hating tampering with Nature’s—or should I say

God’s—most perfect colouring) both Weavers and Pekin Bobins do

not stand a chance of high honours at any show. I should like to see

all judges refuse to look at man’s hideous colour-fed bird. Enough said,

perhaps too much ! No, not too much !


Well, now to continue : Napoleon Weaver, 8J years, very lovely ;

Persian Bulbuls, all long lived ; White-winged and Crimson-collared

all seem pretty long lived ; Saffron Finch, including life in a previous

aviary, 8J to 9J years, living now ; Indigo Buntings do not live long

with me now, usually having fits at moulting ; Bainbow Buntings

are better, but mine at 4 years (lost one lately) looked very old, and

I rather longed for the lovely thing to “ pass over ” where I shall see

him in his youthful glory again.


Now I shall keep two of my young Peter’s and probably exchange

two ; it will be interesting to see their length of life compared with

imported birds, which I have never kept any length of time. But,

mind you, I do think most breeding birds die through fights—they are

mostly killed because we will put too many birds in an aviary and we

(perhaps) do not study colour and temperament sufficiently—having

so frequently noticed birds of a reddish hue dislike any other birds

tending to that colouring at all. Of course, there may be exceptions ;

I speak only through sitting for many hours watching my own birds.

I trust this article will open out further correspondence.



THE PARROT BAN AND THE FUTURE OF

AVICULTURE


By C. S. Webb


Many of the remarks made by Mr. Porter in the June issue might

be applied to the importation of birds in general, and I quite agree

that the ban on the exportation of birds from many tropical countries

has suppressed a great amount of cruelty. It seems only a question of

time before nearly all countries adopt the same policy and then



