E. Kathleen Goddard—A Tame Bullfinch



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A third pair that nested on 7th June in the large animal enclosure

had their eggs removed by the end of June, as they were both unfertile.

Stanley Cranes make most devoted parents, and no one is allowed

to get anywhere near their chicks. Two men went into their paddocks

to feed them, as the birds were really dangerous, and would attack

one man if he went alone. Although Stanley Cranes have often nested

and have hatched young, no young ones have ever been fully reared,

and this, I believe, is the first one to be reared in captivity. In my

experience Stanley’s are free breeders and most people have had them

nesting and even hatching young, but none have been reared. At

the present moment there is a young one at the London Zoo, which

is three weeks younger than mine and looks like being reared.


I enclose two photographs of the two pairs of Stanley Cranes. One

chick is just over two months old and the others are just over one

month old. I am delighted at last to have reared young Stanley Cranes.


A TAME BULLFINCH


By E. Kathleen Goddard


A short time ago (about two years, I think it was) I purchased

a Piping Bullfinch. He piped two little tunes perfectly and became

extraordinarily tame. Of course, during the moult he was silent;

but when over it to my dismay I found he had forgotten his songs,

and could only remember little bits of perhaps a bar or two, and

although he would sit on his perch and try his very best to get the

whole tune, it generally ended in a disastrous jumble of notes most

painfully out of tune ! Then one day a friend told me that unless

one whistles the tunes the birds have been taught, whilst they are

moulting, they forget them. So (not being able to whistle) I put Bullie

into a room with a Boiler Canary and in a very short time he could

sing exactly like his companion, but the notes were softer and more

mellow. Needless to say I was delighted. This summer I thought

a fly in a big outdoor aviary would be beneficial to my pet, so out

he went, with some Gouldians and other small Finches. I soon, how¬

ever, discovered that Bullie did not at all appreciate his change

of air, for every time I went near the aviary he would, fly to the side



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