K. Plath—Birds at the New Chicago Zoological Gardens 285


THE BIRDS AT


THE NEW CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL PARK


By Karl Plath

Curator of Birds


II—The Parrot House


These garrulous favourites always are popular with the public

which throngs about their cages intrigued by their lively curiosity

and engaging volubility. The bewildering range of colour may be said

to be black and white and every known shade in between.


The Parrot House of the Brookfield Zoo is a popular one—the

range of cages on three walls housing a fine and varied collection.

In summer they are all transferred to the commodious aviaries on

the west and south walls of the building and these outdoor cages

are protected from the sun by stately elms. While various species

have laid in these “ community ” cages there has been no successful

raising of young and until we can get our contemplated breeding

runs there is not likely to be any.


Entering we find in the first cage two pairs of the Bed-sided Eclectus

—these are beautiful birds and it is merely a matter of opinion as to

which is the handsomer—the male in brilliant green and scarlet or

the female in purple and crimson. A Muller’s Parrakeet and Blue-

crowned Parrakeet share these quarters also.


Cage No. 2. Several fine Slender-bill Cockatoos—some of which

offer a start at friendliness with a pleasant “ Hello-cockie ”. This

is the extent of the conversation, however, and the visitor soon passes

on to


Cage No. 3. This houses a group of Bare-eyed Cockatoos—what

these lack in the power of speech is more than made up in activity.

One in particular is a feathered clown—dancing and bobbing up and

down—then suddenly runs to the back of the cage, coyly hides his

head under a pan and rolls it to the front. He mounts this circular

stage and starts a slow whirl—gradually turning faster and faster

until one would think he would topple over from dizziness—-but he

suddenly stops of his own accord and walks sedately away.



