Milford chronicle., 1891-02-20
A MONSTER AvARY
Something About the Largest BIRD Gage
That Has Ever Been BuIlt.


California may well boast Of its big
trees, it's waterfalls of the Yosemite and
its mammoth fruit and vegetable prod
ucts, but it has added another laurel to
its crown. in the possession Of the largest
aviary in the world. An hours journey
from San Francisco by water and rail
brings one to the quiet little town Of
San Pablo, in Contra Costa county, and
a short drive from there is the old and
well known Alvarado Rancho, now own
ed by Henry f. Emeric. Over an area
Of 800 acres Of fertile ground are scat
tered orchards and wheat fields that
yield wonderful crops, and near the CEN
ter Of this domain is the old home Of
Mr.. Emeric's father, now deceased.
It is quaint structure, with shaded
verandas. and its roof is robed with a
mantle of pure white Castilian roses.
Fronting the house are parterres OF
choice flowers Of innumerable kinds,
bright with color and as fragrant as the
breeze waited odors of Ceylon. There
are, in fact, 80 varieties Of roses alone
to be seen, and in the conservatory
there are rare orchids and other valuable
plants.
Through the vista Of weeping willows
and peach and apple trees, heavily laden
with Bellhowers and Winter Nellies, the
aviary is seen. This feature Of the place
is an airy structure of closely netted
wire, sustained at intervals Of fifteen
feet by wooden upnghts, forming per
feet cage. 1t is 175 feet long and go feet
wide. Within its confines is a miniature
forest Of ounce trees, the tops Of which
emerge through the netting. This, in
addition to a covert Of thick brush,
affords admirable shelter for the birds
in summer, while in the winter they
have the use Of a large house that is in
the cage for their protection against the
elements. With commendable foresight
Mr.. Emeric has stocked this aviary with
English pheasants and Chinese golden
pheasants, and there are also hundreds
of quail there, merely as a side issue.
Mr.. Emeric estimates that he has over
400 pheasants, and he proposes to set
loose 100 or more of them each year to
run wild through the country, and will
give many away to those who desire to
propagate them. This will, of course,
be Of great benefit to all lovers of bird
shooting, and besides will assist materi-
ally in increasing the number of what
are now rare species Of fowl in this
state The pheasants are fed with wheat,
and occasionally chopped liver is given
to them. They are crossed with bantam
hens, the result being game cocks that
are as pugnacious as their imported
sires; and the pheasant is notably
fighting bird. The golden pheasants
are only fitted for an aviary, and occupy
the position that a Sevres vase does in a
drawing room.
Mr.. Emeric has completed negotiations
to have large invoice Of bobwhites sent |
to him from the east, and then he will 1
the proportions of his aviary to |
three times its present size. This bird is
similar to our California quail, only a
little larger, and is better favored. 1t is .
a great fayorite with eastern hunters, /
and viii be gladly welcomed by local /
sportsmen. The same course will be pur- |
sued with these birds as with the pheas-
ants. The propagation Of these valuable
and interesting birds is a hobby with Mr.. |
Emeric, an expensive one naturally, but |
one that he can afford, and his efforts
should receive the earnest support of all .
those who are interested in the introduc-
ion of new birds on this coast.-San
Francisco Chronicle.