112



J. Delacour—American Aviculture



a rectangular ensemble, which is made rat-proof. The deep snow of

the winter does not trouble the birds.


Not far from New Haven, Connecticut, Mr. C. S. Sibley possesses

a large bird farm near Wallingford. Although one sees there a large

number of Pheasants and Waterfowl, many of his birds are reared at

different other farms in New England, particularly Ducks, where

warm springs and extensive waters make things easier. Mr. Sibley pos¬

sesses most species of Pheasants, including the rarest, such as Mikados,

Tragopans, and Imperials, and even some of the more tender ones,

which live during the winter in heated shelters. His collection of

Waterfowl is the best in America, and includes practically all the North

American species and many of the others. He is successful in rearing

them each year. At Wallingford, the Swans, Ducks, and G-eese are

kept in several large enclosures, through which a shallow but wide

stream runs. His Pheasants have rather small pens, scattered all over

the slopes of an orchard.


Mr. Sibley is a keen and enthusiastic bird-lover and does much to

popularize bird-keeping in his country. I was his guest for two days

and had many interesting talks with him.


In the same district, Mr. P. Plant owns, at Waterford, a very good

collection of Pheasants, and also Bantams of many breeds. Mr. Plant

is a newcomer to aviculture, but has already gathered an almost complete

series. His pens run along two sides of a large meadow, forming an

L-shaped pheasantry ; they are good sized, with substantial open

shelters at the back; others, with heated shelters, have been built

in the vicinity for Polyplectrons, Firebacks, and Argus. Mr. Plant is

the president of the American O.P.S., and has altogether the

opportunities and the enthusiasm to make his hobby a great success.


On Long Island, we saw one day the astonishing farm of Mr. Tinker,

a well-known cinema producer, so we were told. It is supposed to be

an entirely commercial undertaking. There are rows of good Pheasant

pens, with the more ordinary species and a few rarer ones. But the

particular asset there is the numerous Eing-necked, Beeves’, Golden,

and Amherst’s Pheasants, which are reared annually, along with

Turkeys, Fowls, Ducks, and Geese, and sold to the market for food.

The farm covers many acres.



