BIRDS FROM THE EAST

Evening Star, Issue 20375, 6 January 1930, Page 10

BIRDS FROM THE EAST

RARE AMD BEAUTIFUL TYPES LAKE HUMBER FOR AUCKLAND A cargo'of rare beauty was located 1 ’on the poop deck of the steamer Nar- : .. ,;hada, which arrived at Auckland from Singapore last week, ‘with 600 Indian 'birds for the Agricultural Society of JfeW Zealand. On the after-deck were a large number of', cages containing ' i-hesus and Javan macaque monkeys for the. Auckland Zoo. ■> Portion -of the consignment of birds . .were sent to the Auckland Zoo.. These

include a few Mandarin ducks and a v cassowary, which is now becoming a i ..very rare > bird. There is 'also a fine ' black cockatoo, a variety which t is ti- . jninishing.- The remainder of the birds ..will be distributed by.the society among its members. .. The collection of birds is a particu- '■> larly attractive one (says the ‘Herald’). The most striking are 1 *he Grand Electus parrots, a species which affords an exception to the rule of nature by which the male is the more resplendent of the two sexes. The male electus parrot is certainly a beautiful bird, with his emerald green plumage, but he is outshone by the female, whose plumage contains a gorgeous mixture of crimson, heliotrope, and purple. A merry captive is the hill mynah, ever a favourite in the bazaars of the Fa' East. _ With glossy blue , feathers and a brillian t yellow beak ho i 'whistles and sings cheerfully. Another singing bird is the Indian sham.a, which is represented by several specimens, land there are also some Peking nightingales -from China. “ " “.In other cages there are scores of- ’. .finches, weavers, and other small birds. Bulbuls of grey, red, and white, and 7;;Baya Reavers of black, yellow, and ltan, r proyide a bright splash of colour. ; Then , there are white and black nutI’.nieg. pigeons, white Java sparrows, : blossom-headed green and red parra- “ keets, arid gaily-coloured budgerigars, whose plumage ranges from sky blue to cobalt' blue, arid from pale green to Jolive. The lorys are fastidious little birds, which eat their food by lapping it rip'with a tongue covered by fine little brushes. Their diet consists of babies’ food, condensed milk, and honey. Thera is also a batch of ringjnecfced parrakeets. . Therhesus monkeys, which were con,l signed to the Auckland Zoo, were de " scribed by Mr L. T. Griiin, the curator, as a surprise, shipment. No noti....fication had been received of their

-coming, and Mr Griffin was astonished to ;find several cages of the little fel- „ lows awaiting him when he made a visit to the steamer. The monkeys had keen ordered some time ago, however, and preparations for their reception will not be upset by their unexpected, arrival. “ Thev are a fine healthy lot,” said Mr .Griffin “ They look very bright ’ "and, healthy, hut we are not taking - any chances, and they will be isolated for a week or ten days in order that ■ any disease which they may be carrying will have had time to manifest itself. During that period the medical ■ staff of the zoo wil Conduct observations on each animal.”