Edward Boosey—Gentlemen only



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Whether or no the Siva is a hen he (or she) is certainly the embodi¬

ment of energy and approaches more nearly than anything else I

know to my idea of perpetual motion. No matter how hot the day the

little Blue-winged Siva can always be seen flying tirelessly from end

to end and across the aviary, followed almost languidly by his Pekin

Robin companion who is himself no sluggard, and expertly catching

any small insects that happen to come his (or her) way. Nor does its

energy quickly abate, for it is just as active even in the twilight, and

I can only hope it roosts quietly at night otherwise I feel sure it would

be a ripe candidate for a nervous breakdown !


A Golden-fronted Fruitsucker is a tease rather than a bully, and

has necessitated my putting several pots of the same kind of food in

different parts of the aviary. He never actually molests the other birds

but, like Sunbirds, loves to take up a point of vantage and drive them

away from the food pots from sheer mischief.


* The Mexican Yellow Grosbeak is rare and in many ways the most

attractive bird in my planted aviary. He arrived here as the sole

member of his genus among a lot of other birds, and I picked him out

to keep at once because he satisfied my senses both of the sublime and

the ridiculous. His song will, I feel sure, one day be sublime—it consists

at present of a few short but mellow notes—and his form is gloriously

ridiculous—like a child’s wooden toy painted in bright yellow, black,

and white, with an enormous beak worthy of a Puffin. He could easily

do frightful havoc with that formidable beak of his, but actually he

is a clumsy and sedate and amiable and altogether lovable bird, and

I have left him to the last because he is so attractive.


I hope these random notes of mine may be of some assistance to

those who possess but one planted aviary and are wondering what

selection of birds they should put in it.



