56 My y clloW'ivingcd Sngarbirds. 



feathers and underside of wings yellow ; bill (long and curved) black ; feet 

 ruddy flesh-colour. Total length 4^ inches; tail ig inches. 



PcDialc. Differs from the male. Above green with centres of 

 feathers darker ; wings and tail blackish and dyed with green ; eye-streak 

 whitish ; under wing-coverts and inner webs of wing feathers pale yellow ; 

 under surface pale yellowish-green, faintly stria-ted ; bill horn-colour ; feet 

 brownish flesh-colour. 



Many years ago 1 wrote that Sngarbirds agree well 

 together, so they may within the limits of a cage, but later 

 experience has taught me that the reverse is the case, so far as 

 aviary-life is concerned. 



Now to return to our topic — " My Yellow-winged Sugar- 

 birds " — I have not kept them as cage birds, except for brief 

 periods during the winter months, so I shall leave this aspect 

 for some fellow member to fill in. 



First I will deal with one particular pair which I possessed 

 for the three years preceding the war in my Mitcham aviary. 

 This pair I enjoyed and had more interest from than any others 

 which I have possessed before or since. I forget now from what 

 source they came, but those two cocks and the one hen will 

 never pass from my recollection while memory lasts. They 

 came to me in autumn, were caged for two weeks in a green- 

 house, where they captured many small fiies, which unw^arily en- 

 tered their enclosure attracted by the ripe banana, which formed 

 part of the Yellow-wings' menu. Then I transferred them to one 

 of the lobby flights, attached to the main aviary, having glass 

 at front, side and part of top; here they passed the winter — the 

 only heat they got was from a small Beatrice oil stove, which 

 was only alight on frosty nights, and during severe spells day 

 and night. As the area of tne lobby was 12ft. by loft. the 

 temperature ruled low, and their milk-syrup-sop was frozen 

 whenever there was a keen frost; nevertheless they did well, and 

 the following April saw males and female in full colour and 

 perfect condition. Early in May I opened tne lobby door an-.l 

 drove them into the main aviary, which had a ground area of 

 about 300 superficial feet and was 15ft. liigh. 



Here they throve, and, though they took some syrup and 

 fruit, lived mainly on midges, blight and other small insects. 

 They hac' around them in the aviary over one hundred com- 

 panions, ranging in size from a thrush to a gold-breasted 

 waxbill, and mcluding a few doves and quail. At this period I 



