262 N. Wliarton-Tigar—Visit of Avicultural Society to Leckford


The Cranes at Leckford are a great feature. All are in wonderful

condition and they are housed in large grassy enclosures about the

grounds. Mr. Lewis showed us his pair of Sandhill Cranes and their

two fine youngsters, we also saw an exquisite and tame specimen of

the Cape Crowned Crane ; afterwards on seeing the two pairs of the

Manchurian Cranes I exclaimed to Dr. Hopkinson that their beauty

was more subtle, but he emphatically disagreed with me, in his opinion

the Crowned Crane is unsurpassed !


Besides these there is a Hooded Crane, White-necked Cranes, Native

Companion Cranes, Asiatic White, the graceful Stanley, Black-necked

Crowned, and Lilford’s Cranes, and the lovely little Demoiselle, in

fact every variety known except the following : Wattled, Whooper,

Black-necked Grey, and Canadian.


We were afterwards driven down to the water-meadows, to see the

third wonderful collection, namely the water-fowl. Here is a veritable

paradise for these birds. A very large space has been enclosed and

made vermin and fox proof, no small undertaking ! and it is divided

into many wired enclosures, each with clear running water; an island is

being formed also, to house Gibbons’ Monkeys, this will in the future

be a great attraction. Mr. Lewis means the Gibbons’ home to be con¬

structed to resemble a ship. One can well imagine how delightful this

will be, and the whole of the water-fowl enclosure can, and no doubt

will be, transformed into a beautiful wild water garden—many water-

loving plants will delight in the moist situation. A clear stream runs

through this land, noted for its wonderful fishing; owing to this clearness

it was a sight to see the Ducks diving and swimming at the bottom

of the stream.


I noticed three varieties of Swan, the Whooper, the Black-necked,

and the Black. Among the fine collection of Geese were several Ashy¬

headed Geese, a pair and a male of the Andean Geese recently brought

over by Mr. Morrison, a pair of Ruddy-headed Geese, four pairs Red¬

breasted Geese, a truly lovely sight, two pairs of Emperor Geese, one

pair of Ross’s Snow Geese, two pairs Blue Snow Geese, one pair Snow

Geese, and a pair each of Orinoco Geese, Egyptian, Cereopsis, and

Abyssinian Blue-winged Geese.


Among the Ducks there are pairs of Hottentot Teal, Versicolour Teal,



