52 



BREEDING THE SPICE BIRD. 



T have had my va'w of Spice Birds for some 3-ears— 

 since 1896 I Ihiiik. In May of last year I turned all my 

 birds out into a new outdoor aviary which I had made. 

 In No. I Division I have Canaries, Ribbon Finches, 

 Whydahs, Zebra Finches, Waxbills, Avadavats, Nuns, 

 Bengalese, Parson Finches, Saffron Finches, Bullfinches, 

 Cockatiels, Java Doves. Cordon Bleus, vSpice Birds, 

 Nicobar Pigeons, and one Scarlet Tanager, one Superb 

 Tanager, one Fontenegra, and one Mountain Finch, 

 altogether 130 birds. Before I went to Scotland this 

 autumn I had only one pair of Spice Birds, and I noticed 

 one of them sitting in a travelling box-cage which was 

 hung inside the aviary cottage, from the roof, by a long 

 wire (to prevent mice from getting at the nest). I went 

 away at the beginning of August, and on returning at the 

 end of September I found two young Spice Birds flying 

 about, with fluff still on their heads. They are now a 

 beautiful rich brown, and more clearly marked than 

 their parents. 



I also reared three Cordon Bleus, and they were fully 

 fledged and flying about when I left home, but when I 

 returned I could only see the parents. 



The great storm of wind and rain about the middle of 

 November killed, I am sorry to sa}', my Superb Tanager, 

 my hen Cordon Bleu, two Pekin Robins, one Golden- 

 bieast, and my Bine-winged Love Birds — but all the rest 

 look well. The only bird I have taken in for the winter 

 is the Scarlet Tanager — I got him last November, and 

 he has been out since May. 



The second division of my aviary contains Pekin 

 Robins, Indigos. Weavers, Green vSinging Finches, 

 Nonpareils, two Teal, Virginians, Popes, one Rosella, one 

 Half-moon Parakeet, one Indian Ring-necked Parrakeet, 

 one Redrump. and Zebra Doves — 26 birds in all, I am 

 now enlarging the aviary and making a third division for 

 Virginian Cardinals and Popes, 



