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AVIARY NOTES. 



If I were asked to name the most interesting birds 

 in my garden aviary at the present time, I should 

 unhesitatingly mention ni}' Long-tailed Grassfinches, a 

 healthy and lively pair of Double bands, my Passerine 

 Doves and a pair of Indian Rain Quails. 



The Long-tailed are in excellent form, and when not 

 engaged in other birds' business, pass most of their 

 time carr3dng grass, feathers, &c., into a nest-box of the 

 cigar box pattern, and from all appearances seem very 

 much in earnest. In fact, I shall be disappointed if the 

 nest-box selected this time fails to give satisfaction, as 

 it is about the third or fourth house they have chosen 

 and furnished, and all to no purpose. 



The short song of this bird I consider most pleasing, 

 and his love dance jnst a little ludicrous — but what 

 amuses me most is the extreme audacity of Mr. Longtail. 

 If he sets his mind on having a particular bit of grass in 

 the ear, or a feast of spray millet, he takes good care to 

 have what he wants — though at the same time I must 

 admit that his mate is almost always invited to share 

 any tit-bit there may be. I find that grass in the ear 

 is much relished by these birds, also the seeds or 

 heads of chickweed, of which my birds have an 

 abundance. 



The Doublebands or Bicheno Finches are most 

 attractive, and so very tame. My pair have been out all 

 the summer, and look just at present as though ache or 

 pain had never troubled them. Indeed, I am half 

 tempted to let them try the winter outside : they could 

 have plenty of exercise, as the aviary is not a small one 

 (ground space about 130 square feet), and in the warmest 

 spots I always arrange a few cosy boxes in which the 

 foreign birds sleep at night (wnth the exception of a 

 Grey Singing Finch and a young vSaffron Finch, and 

 these perch along with the Britishers). 



The Bichenos during the early summer {?) built 

 an open nest in a fir tree, and looked so comfortable and 



