178 Captain H. S. Stokes—The Cargo of Living Jewels


the gradual dimming of the lamps while fifty pairs of little wings were

still buzzing; the extinguishing of the lights while four humans

listened to hear if every bird was still and safe on its perch for the

night ; all this was something new and thrilling in bird-keeping and

a great experience for me.


They were housed in M. Delacour’s greenhouse aviary. The next

morning was fixed for our departure for London, and 4.30 a.m. saw

Bailey and Fooks up and working at the birds. M. Delacour and I

joined them in our pyjamas, and every bird (and a great many others

too besides Humming Birds) were fed and watered. Two hours after

sunrise we were working in a temperature of 115 degrees sun and fire

heat, and I fear we were much thirstier than the birds !


We left by car for the Dieppe boat, on which by the kindness of

the captain we got a nice warm bathroom for the birds. The Zoo

van met us at Victoria and the precious cargo was safely landed by

6.30 p.m.


A compartment of the Tropical Bird and Plant House had been

specially prepared for the “ Hummers ”, charming with flowers and ferns

and a fountain, and well furnished with spriggy branches. The next

morning the cages were opened and every bird flew out, buzzing like

a winged beetle. And what happened ? Did they flop about and

bang and crouch and shiver with fright ? Not a bit. They fought

harmlessly, they sipped their nectar, they bathed in the dewy leaves

and splashed in the fountain, and hummed and buzzed as in their

native forest.


The German dealer said he had ten species on the boat, but we

brought neither the largest nor the very smallest, fearing that they

would either bully or be bullied. (The smallest had bodies little bigger

than bumble bees !)


I have since heard from M. Delacour that his are quite happy and

doing well in his greenhouse, which is far hotter than the London

Zoo cage. So let no moist and perspiring humans, eschewing Turkish

bath atmospheres, try fresh-air cures or spartan treatment for the

little Hummers, or our treasures will die and our experience and our

labour of love be wasted.



