Beviews



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made full use of in this, and the Keston Farm is able to guarantee

that only birds thoroughly used to the vagaries of the English

climate are offered for sale by them. The price of these is necessarily

higher than for newly-imported birds, but there is far less risk of

their dying.


I have not room to mention all the birds I saw at Keston, but must

record the presence there of a very perfect pair of the Yellow-fronted

New Zealand Parrakeet (Cyanorhamphus auriceps), perhaps the rarest

birds in the collection, and I think there is every chance of their

breeding.


REVIEWS


THE CAKE AND PROPAGATION OF ORNAMENTAL

WATERFOWL 1


We welcome the appearance of Mr. J. C. Laidlay’s new book because

the various species of Waterfowl are very popular with those fortunate

enough to have the necessary facilities for keeping them properly.

They are delightful birds, hardy, and very ornamental, and it is not

necessary to have enormous stretches of water in order to keep them ;

quite small ponds are all they require. In fact, we have known a pair

of Carolinas not only to thrive but to rear a brood in an enclosure of

some 20 feet square containing a pond of less than 6 feet in

diameter !


Mr. Laidlay has had a life-long experience of keeping and breeding

all kinds of Ornamental Ducks and Geese, and no one was better

fitted to write a book on the subject. His book deals with more than

a hundred species, of each of which a short description is given and,

where known, the period of incubation, and there are no less than sixty-

eight photographic illustrations, all taken from life. We wish it had

been found possible to enlarge the account of each species by details

of its wild life where this is known, and more precise details of the

habitat. To give this as “ Africa ” or “ Australia ” is somewhat vague !


1 The Care and Propagation of Ornamental Waterfowl, by J. C. Laidlay, of

Lindores, Fife. McLagan and Gumming, Warriston Road, Edinburgh, and

21 Suffolk Street, London, S.W. 1. Price 12s. 6d.



