'.]2 Ml/ M'ntJcr.s' Anidry. 



bullrusht'S iiiul water-i-eeds being plantetl — tlie cost of this pond, 

 not including the removal of the earth, which of course took my 

 men some little time, was al)Out six ]>onnds. 



The next thing I had to work out was how to keep the 

 water fairly fresh ; this was managed by a sort of rock work 

 stream (which can be seen in the photograph) supplied l)y a tap 

 and town water, the hwwlc lieing fii'st Imilt of earth excavated from 

 the pond and well ramnicil and tlieii on top of this was placed 

 some old half inc]i nicsli wire netting on wliich was formed a sort 

 of cement gutter witb smallisli pieces of rock placed here and 

 there: the l)ank sides were *dien inrfeil aiid |i]ante(l with A'arions 

 wild ]ilants, primroses, iris, etc. 



Now apart fnnn this water supply I have devised that all 

 the rain water falling on the luiildings at tlie l)ack, also waste 

 water used in the coach yard, and overflows from the Wilderness 

 Aviary water supi)ly are conducted by means of field pipes to the 

 top left hand corner of the aviary, this lieing the highest level, 

 and then after percolating tln-ough a sti'eani of tightly ])acked 

 rushes, enters the pond. 



So much for the inflow of watei. the next tiling to be 

 arranged was the outflow. Here again I provit^led two means of 

 egress, the first consisting of a drain on the bottom of the pond 

 which will seldom l)e required, l)ut, if necessary will allow the 

 pond being drained quite dry by means of a plug, the second out- 

 let is a continuation of the stream wdiicli when the pond is full 

 takes aw'ay any surplus water. This stream is banked with gi'ass 

 and as a good deal of water runs down, it leaves a muddy bottom 

 for the waders to explore. 



There is a sloping I'Caeh to one side of the })ond, on 

 wliich several loads oi shore sand and fine shingle is spread. 

 The plants in the aviary consist entirely of Laurels, Firs, grass 

 and rushes. 



The wood-work is painted with " Penetras " a product 

 sold by Randolph Meech, of Poole, Dorset, who also makes 

 some very cheap and useful bird houses and shelters. 1 believe 

 Messrs. Majors, of Hull, manufacture a wood preservative 

 called '■ Soligniurn," which can be obtained in green, or broAvn. 

 This I mention in passing, as it is so much cheaper than 

 paint, lasts just as long, and is much easier to a})ply. In this 

 aviary are two houses or shelters for any birds that care to 



