R. F. Tong—Some Notes on Bird Collecting in Southern China 249


inserting it into the gaping mouth of the young bird. The smaller

birds are fed on insectivorous wet paste made from bean powder mixed

with ground dried shrimp, silkworm, and other insects, and water,

on the thin stick also. All the young birds appear to thrive on their

food and grow rapidly into maturity. When they are able to pick their

own food, their diet is gradually changed to whatever is their favourite

foods or seeds.


Most birds purchased in China are seasonal. The Pekin Robins

which Mr. Sydney Porter describes as “ inevitable ” in all the Chinese

bird shops at Hong Kong and Shanghai, are there for sale only during

the last four months of the year. During the other months very few,

if any, can be had, unless some fancier tires of a particular bird and sells

it back to the bird store. At this time of the year, July, there are various

species of Owls, Magpies, Orioles, Thrushes, White-eyes, Blackbirds,

Starlings, Finches, Larks, a few Buntings (season over), a sprinkling

of Wahmees (season approaching), Flowerpeckers, Cuckoos, Barbets,

Tits, Shrikes, Bulbuls, Babblers, Kingfishers, and others. I am now

compiling notes on the months when various species of birds are in

season and will write regarding them later. During season time, the

common species are collected in great numbers and one can easily

collect as many as desired to supply the wants of all aviculturists.


The manner in which I obtained the unidentified bird mentioned in

the early part of this article is typical of the method used in buying

birds from the Chinese traders. Calling at a village on one of my periodic

visits, one collector who always awaits my profitable (to him) trips,

offered with some excitement to show me a bird which he claimed to be a

beautiful specimen of some rare Chinese species, privately owned by a

bird fancier. No one knew its identity, including the owner, who secured

it, when a young bird, from a trader in one of the near-by villages. My

collector ventured a confidential tip (obtained through the mysterious

grape-vine gossip among the traders), on what the man originally paid

for the bird and mentioned his opinion as to the price the owner might

be willing to sell the bird. Confident that this collector, who is familiar

with my desires, would not give me a false steer, my heart as usual

began throbbing with excitement in anticipation of something unex¬

pected.



