Correspondence



329



hear them complain of the cocks maiming or killing their hens, although I will

admit that occasionally they will bully them. I have written to Dr. Sprawson

and suggested he should part with his unamiable Amherst cock and try another

in its place. Now I willingly admit that Amhersts that have a streak of Golden

blood are terribly vicious, and most undesirable birds, but such birds are not

Lady Amhersts. Finally there is one sure method of preventing any Pheasant

cocks from seriously damaging a hen. I have informed Dr. Sprawson of this

method and shall be pleased to give similar information to anyone interested.

[Please publish it. —Ed.] Think of me what you will, “ injure me as you will,”

but if you calumniate that gorgeous Pheasant, the Lady Amherst, then be

prepared to cross swords with its greatest lover. One of the most beautiful

birds in the world and most adaptable to aviary life, no aviculturist should be

without specimens. At the moment I have four Amherst cocks in one aviary

and what a banquet of beauty they provide, what a feast of dignified

aristocratic grace ! Ungallant and cruel to their hens ? Oh, surely no !—

P. J. Lambert.


[Our Amherst cock has so far treated his hens well.—E. F. C.]



AMERICAN CRANES


Madam, —The account in the June Magazine of the nesting of Mr. Lewis’s

Sandhills was most interesting, for there seems to be no record of such a

happening in confinement in this country. It is a great pity that no young

were reared, but with a proven breeding pair, one always hopes for success

in a following season.


Of North America’s three Cranes, the Sandhill (Grus mexicana) and its

smaller but closely related cousin, the Little Brown Crane ( G . canadensis)

are still quite abundant in the wild state, and as they are now well protected

against market hunters who have accounted for the diminution of so many

of our American birds, one can expect the two varieties to become more

abundant. Cranes are, however, rather difficult to trap, or at least more

so than other types of birds, and consequently such specimens as are offered

are more likely than not to be wing-tipped or more or less crippled birds

so that subsequent nesting in confinement is rather improbable. With all

due regard for some of our excellent American aviculturists, one must admit

that over here we have been inclined to spend our time on foreign species

of birds, many times to the detriment of our good American varieties. This

has been the case with our native Cranes so that I feel Mr. Lewis’s achievement

in getting his Sandhills to nest is not paralleled in American aviculture.

Had American aviculturists taken an interest in propagating our lovely

American Whooping Crane (G. americana ) in the past, it might not now

be at the point of extinction. The Japanese have given us an example of

what can be done with Cranes in the numbers of Manchurian Cranes which

they manage to rear. I hope that another year will see Mr. Lewis rearing

to maturity young of the lovely Sandhills.



C. L. Sibley.



