254 Aiti^iist. Scl^icDibcr and October in My /Iviarics. 



two years with iiie.* One would have thought that there 

 sliotild be no (hfficuUy with stich liardy birds. 



September 25th. — (Jiant Whydahs (Cliera proenc) shed 

 their tails, both on the same day. 



Septejiiber 2jth. — Necklace-Senegal Dove hybrid left nest. 



September 2Qtli. — J'lunibcous (_)iiail (.V. plitmheits) laying 

 again. 



Or/o/'rr.-- 1 )uring this month we aim to get most of the 

 l/irds caught up and placed in their winter quarters. Where 

 the aviaries are large the only way is to trap them, and this is 

 often a lengthy process, as the birds once they have seen their 

 companions being captured, get shy of the traps and will refuse 

 to go near them. I have more than once had birds die of 

 starvation rather than enter them. In the smaller aviaries we 

 catch them up with a hand net, and not always without 

 casualties. 



October ^t;/. — Cuba lynches {J\ canora) sitting again 

 It was very late but T gave her a chance. 



October ^^th. — Young Ca])e Sparrows {f\ arciiatits) left 

 nest, but the early mornings were very cold, and they did not 

 long stu'vive. 



October 12th. — Pope Cardinals (/'. larvata) laid again — 

 eggs removed. 



October lOtli. — Cuba I'lnch (/'. canora) hatclied out. 



October 20th. — Lilac-crowned Fruit-Pigeon sick. In 



SI, ite of every care it died ten days later from ])neumonia. Wc 

 had a Aery hea\y frost, following a wet night, and this proved 

 too much for the hen, although the cock was not affected. 

 These birds would always roost oittside, unless at roosting time 

 the weather was very wild and wet. 



October :;otIi. — I'ook Cuba Finches and their yoting 

 iiiside. \'erv nice little l)irds. 



1 had a cock wliicli lived 7^ years in my avia'^y 'j"t ^^ was an exception ; 

 its male died nine months after arrival.— Ed. 



