BIRD NEWS 



six inches, may be laid a layer of gal- 

 vanized square mesh wii'v'^, or iron- 

 lath sheeting, covering tho floor area 

 and rising at the sides it possible; 

 this acts as vermin-proof barrier. 



Perching accommodations must be 

 provided, branches of varied sizes and 

 kinds form the best, but these must 

 not be so numerous as to leave no 

 room for flying. The branches must 

 not be so placed as to act as ladders 

 for mice, nor should they be placed 

 against the sides so thac perching 

 birds could be reached by cats. 

 Clumps of weeds, fan palm leaves, or 

 branches, must be placed underneath 

 the covered in part of the flight to 

 accommodate si'di birds as preier to 

 roost outside of shed. Small olurajjs 

 of weeds can also be so irraui^ed, to 

 form nesting sites, accordir.g to the 

 variety of birds kept. 



Imitate nature as nearly as possi- 

 ble and your results will be more suc- 

 cessful. Shrubs, vines, geraniums, 

 wallflowers, privet, sweet fennel, as- 

 paragus and many other green things 

 may be grown, if protected, inside of 

 aviary. Birds, if provided with green 

 food, rareiy are so aggresive as to de- 

 stroy course quick growing shrubs. 

 A section of the floor can be seeded 

 in grass, or may be planted with al- 

 ready growing sods of grass. Millet 

 rape, grass, seeds, oats, wheat, wild 

 mustard, should be forced, that is, 

 planted, then covered with wet sack- 

 ing until germination is advanced. 

 Underneath the wet sack all sorts of 

 ■'crawly things" accumulate, which to 

 soft-bills and feeding parents, or 

 fledglings, are veritable French din- 

 ners. These salad beds must, on no 

 account be permitted to become 

 mouldy. A few bunches of decaying 

 weeds, or damp straw will also afford 

 animal life, and are to be commend- 

 ed. When your young birds, or newly 

 caught wild birds, are feeding, you 

 will find they enjoy seeds, made juicy 



by being placed overnight on the 

 moist ground. Shop dry seeds, are 

 veritable hard-tack, while "soft- 

 snaps" are appreciated even by the 

 old veterans — "hard upon seed." 



Vines, hops, or passion-flowers may 

 be grown outside flight to provide 

 shade, but be sure to guard the stem 

 with wire netting so as to prevent 

 mice. Privet bushes and flowering 

 plants may be planted close along- 

 side the flight. They attract Insects 

 which afford tid-bits to the inmates. 



If space permits it is excellent to 

 have a relief flight, already vegetat- 

 ed, into which the birds can be ad- 

 mitted, giving the other flight time to 

 recuperate. Nesting birds and fledg- 

 lings would have to be considered in 

 changing the base. What are the 

 proper dimensions, depend upon the 

 space, the site, the species and the 

 number of birds. For convenience 

 sake, your aviaries, boin shed and 

 flights, should be at least seven to ten 

 feet in height. Birds show off to bet- 

 ter advantage when seen overhead; 

 they are less timid when above you. 

 Never overcrowd your space; floor 

 space is made the guage. For small 

 birds, tits, waxbills, sociable finches, 

 one bird to each nine inches square, 

 is a good average. For larger birds, 

 suc- as Canaries and finches, one foot 

 at least should be provided. Long 

 roomy flights please the birds better 

 than square ones; they permit an op- 

 portunity for distance flying. Remem- 

 ber, also, soft bills, by their habits 

 and food, foul a flight much worse 

 than do hard-bills, or pure seed eat- 

 ers. 



Food dishes, are best placed in 

 covered hopper, or in seed boxes of 

 any type and should be always swung 

 from the cross-bars, too far away for 

 a mouse to jump into them and too 

 inaccessible to be reached from the 

 ground. Theory says; "provide 

 drinking water fountains;" birds de- 



