156 R. H. Masure—The Birds of a Carribean Cruise


THE BIRDS OF A CARRIBEAN CRUISE


By R. H. Masure


While the City of St. Louis is hardly a Carribean port and hence

out of place in this article, I cannot refrain from telling you about

my impressions of the bird collection in its Zoological Garden. Other

collections may boast of more species of birds and more individuals

of each kind, but they cannot compare to St. Louis for beauty and

novelty of their birds. As one enters the bird house at St. Louis he

is confronted by a large cage about 30 feet long and 20 feet

wide that contains a variety of birds including Mynahs, various wading

birds such as Scarlet Ibis, Swainson’s Toucans and other small perching

birds, all living together in perfect harmony in what seems to be a

small piece of nature transplanted into this house. The background

is painted to give a diorama effect such as one sees in museum cases,

and what is most remarkable and in fact the most striking feature of

this cage is the fact that it is entirely lacking in glass or any other

barrier on the side facing the observer. It is truly exciting to look at

all these birds without even a glass to obstruct the vision. This

seemingly difficult feat, of keeping birds in a space without actually

confining them in four walls, is accomplished by introducing each

specimen originally with a clipped wing so that it could not fly out.

When it becomes accustomed to living and eating in this space it seldom

strays out even after its wings have grown. I understand that the

only time that any of these birds do venture out is at night and that

they always return of their own accord. The rest of the cages all have

glass fronts and several others are large enough to have living plants

in them so that they are like a portion of a forest. The collection of

Weaver Finches and another of Chloropsis Bulbuls and other soft-

billed birds are both of this type. I am sorry that my visit was so

short that I could only remember a few of the birds I saw. I offer the

following list as a few of the rarer species that I can remember : Greater

Bird of Paradise, Queen of Bavaria’s Conures (these beautiful yellow

Conures are the first of the species that I have ever seen and are very

rare), Cock of the Rock (another rare and striking bird that is fowl¬

like in form, having a brilliant silky orange plumage and a peculiar







