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P. K. Venner—My Birds



(which are not large ones) with a view to colour. I hope, however,

during the coming season to rectify this. At the head of my collections

comes undoubtedly my Leadbeater “ Dawn ”—a lovely bird. She is,

I believe, the richest in colouring of any of her species I have ever

seen, and I fancy our Secretary agreed with this when she saw her

some four years ago. Originally bought from a big London dealer,

about whom, perhaps, the least said the better, as I understand he was

largely responsible with his mass importations for the accursed Parrot

Ban, “ Dawn ” was nevertheless healthy perhaps because she was

at the time the only Leadbeater in the shop, and so had probably not

been imported with a crowd of others. She was, however, very dirty—■

grey rather than white on her back, but was delightfully tame. I

remember how she climbed out of her cage on to the shoulder of an

assistant, and then X believe on to mine. This was in 1923, and I had

come up specially from Sussex to town for her. On my return she was

somewhat hurriedly dumped in a cage while I rushed off to “ take ”

a wedding, but on my return I was able to resume acquaintanceship

with her, and found her tameness had not been impaired by a somewhat

trying journey. This sweetness of disposition only extends, as a rule,

I regret to say, to the male sex—any lady has to make friends with her

very slowly. Personally I find all the Cockatoos far more reliable

and better tempered than Parrots or Lories—both these latter are

subject to “ moods ” and Parrots such as Greys and Amazons

can be most treacherous. A Cockatoo as a rule lets you know at once

if it is friendly' and then is sometimes almost tediously affectionate.

For some years “ Dawn ” laid two eggs, which she sat on most devo¬

tedly, and her temper was then even with me not of the best, but

we must make allowances in a case of this kind. She has one very

curious habit in very*hot weather, of holding one foot in her water

tin—evidently to cool it ! My only other Cockatoo at present is a nice

hen Roseate. She is not too noisy I am glad to say. How lovely these

birds are in colouring, especially the hens, and what a sight a flock

must be in a state of nature.


Next undoubtedly come my glorious pair of Yellow Mantled or

“ Splendid” Kosellas, bred by Lord Tavistock. They won 1st S.P.C.

and cup at Halstead and 1st and S.P.C. at Chelmsford last winter, and



