J. Delacour—American Aviculture



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difficult American Warblers, other insectivorous species, nearly all

the Australian Finches and Parrots, Humming Birds, etc. Some hand-

reared American Avocets and Stilts attracted my attention, as well as

a Wattled Crane and an Albatross, which has been over two years in

captivity. I hope that Mr. Plath will give us from time to time news of

the great collection under his care.


The old municipal Zoo of Chicago, in Lincoln Park, is still being

kept and even improved. Some of the houses are fine and there are

many good mammals ; but the collection of birds is rather indifferent.


There are hardly any private collections in this part of America,

but the very interesting Kellog Bird Sanctuary, in Michigan, and several

game-bird farms would have been well worth a visit; unfortunately,

I had not the time for it. Zoos, of various sizes and merits, are to be

found in most Middle-Western cities, and I much regret not to have

seen, particularly, those at Milwaukee, Toledo, Cincinnati, etc. But

I was luckily able to visit the wonderful St. Louis Zoo, probably the

best all round to-day in America. It is a municipal zoo ; all the accom¬

modation has been renewed lately and much is still being done. The

situation of the park is very favourable, as the grounds are hilly, with

good trees and water, and close to the centre of the town. Like Chicago,

there are very fine houses as well as fenceless pens and rocky dens for

the larger mammals. At St. Louis the rock work is particularly elaborate

and good, and it imitates perfectly different natural formations of the

neighbourhood. There is a very fair collection of waterfowl on the

lake—a rare feature in American zoos, where horrible domestic ducks

and geese usually disfigure the ponds. As to the Bird House, it is the

prettiest that I have ever seen so far. A very nice construction of

Spanish style, it has a unique feature : a central patio, under a glass

roof, laid out and planted as a tropical garden, the front of which

is truly fenceless, so that the small Waders, Doves, and other birds

which live there can, if they choose, fly right round the gallery, where

the public walk. But they hardly ever do so, as the gallery is rather

dark. In the centre, on both sides of the patio, and at the back, are

several large planted aviaries, stocked with rare Starlings, Shrikes,

Fairy Bluebirds, Pittas, Finches, Sunbirds, Sugarbirds, Tanagers, etc.

One very roomy and high compartment is the home of three magnificent



