Middle-West have six months of very coldweatherwhich practically no birds from a warm or temperate climate can American Aviculture stand without artificial heat, and the summers, being oppressively hot, are Those were the Days also dangerous to some, although they suit others very well. But it all means byJean Delacour substantial and costly buildings. The Southern states, on the otherhand, mild in the winter, very hot and damp in the [Editor's Note: The following article aviculturists have clarified several out­ summer, are good for tropical species, is reprinted from the Avicultural of-date orurifamiliarcommon andsci­ and the Pacific coast, with climates vary­ Magazine (April, 1937). The A.F.A. entific namesfoundinthis article. These ing from that of South-West England to has been given permission to reprint additions are in brackets. This article that of the Riviera, is extremely favour­ this insightful article by Frank Wool­ follows Dr. Delacour's travels through able to bird keeping and breeding in ham, editor ofThe AviculturalMaga­ the eastern andmid-western Us. A later general. zine and Professor lR. Hodges, article willfollow his travels in the west. I. The East honorary Council Chairman of the Dr. Delacour's wonderful sense ofhu­ The autumn is the best season in Avicultural Society (England). moroften came through in his writings. North-East America, and I arrived in In this article thefamed ornithologist It can be seen atthe endofthefirstpara­ New York on 6th October, with M. Fran­ and aviculturist, Dr. lean Delacour graph ofthis article. Many ofthe names cois Edmond-Blanc. We took oversome gives hisimpression ofAmerican avicul­ ofthe aviculturists ofthepast may befa­ rare birds of different sorts which I pre­ ture in 1937. He travelled to severalzoo­ miliartoyou. Thisarticlewasprintedfor sented to some of the zoos, and others logical and private collections. While yourenjoymentandeducation. DRTJ which I acquired from them, all having reading this article in 1994, onemustbe travelled in perfect condition. Many impressed with thegreat varietyofavian Ihad not been in NorthAmerica since friends met us at the wharfand Mr. P.M. speciesfound in captivity in the 1930's. 1927. In those days there were very Maresi took us straight to his charming Some were quite delicate in theirdietary good public collections of live birds in house at Scardale, a pretty and country­ needs as theflycatchers andhumming­ different zoos, but only a very few pri­ like suburb. A Vice-President of the birds while others are now considered vate ones and some commercial breed­ Avicultural Society of America, Mr. quite rare as the birds-of-paradise and ing establishments. We all know that, Maresi has the best private collection of the Weka Rail. Though manyspecies of since then, aviculture has spread con­ delicate birds east of the Rockies at the pheasants, curassows and waterfowl. siderably overthere, particularly in Cali­ present time. Although he keeps Pheas­ were very common, it was also a time fornia, and the tremendous change in ants and other Game birds, he is mostly when a variety offinches and softbills the state of things which I have wit­ interested in the rarer insectivorous and were quiteplentiful. This article cangive nessedduring mylast trip is, Ithink, well frugivorous species. In his garden, there us a chance to admire the aviculturL<;ts worth recording in ourpages. are two large pergola-like aviaries, con­ ofthepastas to theirability to keep many In America, aviculturists are up taining mixed collections, mostly of ofthesespecies alive. The great varietyof against a general difficulty; labour is ex­ seed-eaters and native American birds; a present day commercial diets were not tremely difficult to find, andvery expen­ series of pens for Pheasants and other available to them. sive, sothat, unless onehaslarge means, large birds, and an excellent bird-room, Severalhybridshave been mentioned one must be prepared more or less to including three large indoor compart­ in this article and the editors have left look after one's birds oneself. That, of ments, connected with outdoor flights, them topreserve the contents ofthis arti­ course, bars very large collections in to which birds have access in good cle. The A.FA. does not in any wayap­ most cases. Another drawback is the weather. A corridor runs in front of the prove ofcaptive hybridization. The edi­ hard climate ofmany parts ofthe coun­ indoor flights, and on the other side ex­ tors along with several knowledgeable try. The whole North, North-East, and cellent fixed cages cover the whole wall. The room is well lighted and heated, painted with white enamel, and per­ PARROT BANDS fectly kept. Mr. Maresi's collection con­ COCKATIEL BANDS tains several hundreds of birds, and LOVEBIRD BANDS many unusual ones; there are different PARAKEET BANDS Rock-Thrushes, a curious Glass-eyed CANARY BANDS Send self addressed stamped Thrush (Turdus jamaicensis), a lovely FINCH BANDS envelope for brochure! Fauny's Tanager (Calospiza nigro­ STAINLESS STEEL FEEDING NEEDLES cincta), several Cuban Solitaires (My­ ALL SIZES PLASTIC BANDS Closed Month of July iadestes elisabethae), Western Blue­ FEEDING SYRINGES L &. birds, Maroon Orioles, a fine Cock ofthe CLAW SCISSORS M BIrd Leg Bands Rock, many other species of Tanagers, BAND CUTTERS P.O. Box 2943 • San Bernardino, CA 92406 Starlings, Barbets, Finches, etc. I cannot Phone: (909) 882-4649 give here a complete list of all the fine PIPETTES Fax (909) 882-5231 NETS Monday thrn Friday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) things that I saw there and elsewhere: our Editor would be frightened of the 50 September/October 1996 room it takes! And Iamfrightened ofher. tends from north-east of New York City Great Barrington, we saw the gamefarm The next day we went to the Bronx to the Canadian border. In October, the of Mr. F. Yessler, who breeds success­ Zoo, where it is always a joy to meet Mr. densely wooded hills and valleys are fully most species of hardy Pheasants, Lee Crandall, the very capable and kind bright with autumnal colours, gold, Including Mikados and Edwards. All do Curator of Birds. The Bronx Zoo is ex­ pink, and scarlet, such as we never see well in this cold climate, and we saw actly to-day what it was ten years ago, in Europe, and can compare with those many young birds. Mr. Yessler is now and the-bird-house is typical of those of Japan. We motored long distances using exclusively electric brooders for that one sees in public gardens all along fine roads, passing through pretty his chicks, and so avoids all contagion through America. There is a large hall towns and villages, the white-painted from broody hens. But all his eggs are with big compartments right round, and wooden houses looking "colonial" and incubated under hens, so that he does a great flight in the middle. Two smaller so pretty under the drooping branches almost exactly the reverse ofmany other rooms adjoin it, also with aviaries all of large American elms and maples breeders. He declares that, in this way, round, some of which have outdoor which grow everywhere. he never fails to rear a healthily born flights as well. The roofs are mostly of In the north of Massachusetts, near chick. glass; palms and bamboos in tubs here and there. The collection in the house is very fine, the bestofthe kind in America, and quite comparable to that ofthe Lon­ don Zoo as far as Passerine and Picarine birds go. There are no fewer than fifteen CONTROL DISEASE species of Birds of Paradise, some very WITH rare Hornbills, including the fine Ber­ enicornis comatus, [White-crowned VAtiODltiE V.18 Hornbill], Sunbirds and Humming­ VfUtODlrtE Vol8 IS AN IODINE BASED DISINFECTANT-CLEANER birds, different Cotingas; the Pompa­ IN CONCENTRATED FORM, THAT HELPS CONTROL DISEASE IN THE dour and a pair of pretty green PRESENCE OF ALL WARM BLOODED CREATURES. Euchlornis auripectus; a very rare SAFE - NON-TOXIC, NO NOXIOUS FUMES, NO HEAVY ODORS. Caique Zarhynchuswagleri, [Chestnut­ ECONOMICAL - ONLY ONE TSP. PER GALLON OF WATER. headed OropendolaJ, many unusual TIME SAVER - NO RINSING REQUIRED. Toucans, Fruit-Pigeons, several rare EFFECTIVE - TESTED AND PROVEN AGAINST - E. COLI ­ Tanagers, including Compsocoma - STAPH - SALMONELLA - STREP - PSEUDOMONAS - CANDIDA- sumptuosa, Tbraupis olivicyanea, etc. - ASPERGILLUS - AND MANY MORE! - Very tame and performing Greater Bird of Paradise and Cock-of-Rock are of 8 OZ. EASY PUMP DISPENSER -- $16.95 8 OZ. REFILL -- $14.95 special interest. The caretakerofthis fine MAKES 32 GALLONS house has been for many years Mr. 16 OZ. EASY PUMP DISPENSER -- $21.95 16 OZ. REFILL -- $19.95 Stassey, who worked first at the London MAKES 64 GALLONS Zoo and, no doubt, one of the keenest 32 OZ. EASY PUMP DISPENSER -- $30.95 32 OZ. REFILL -- $28.95 and most capable bird-keepers I know. MAKES 128 GALLONS I am glad to say that the Bronx Zoo 1GALLON EASY PUMP DISPENSER -- $76.95 authorities contemplate adding a new MAKES 512 GALLONS bird-house with large indoor and out­ dooraviaries in the nearfuture. RECOMMEltDED FOR WASHlltG CAGES. FLIGHTS. ItEST BOXES. FOOD rr WATER VESSELS. ETC. There is a good collection of Pheas­ ants, andalso ofotherGame birds; a pair ~.I~·.... .~:A. lWlEB1r::S of the curious "Stone" Curassows, or !. VISA, MASTERCARD, AND AMERICAN EXPRESS ACCEPTED Pauxis, must be mentioned. Parrots and Pigeons are numerous, some of them TO ORDER BY PHOltE CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-364-3431 very rare. Waterfowl are rather poor, but PRICES INCLUDE SHIPPING & HANDLING IN THE CONTINENTAL US there are goodWaders. During the win­ TO ORDER BY MAIL - MAKE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO ter, most have to be kept in large indoor FIRETttORrt SUPPLY cages, and there are several big houses UTAH RESIDENTS ADD 6125% SALES TAX for that purpose.