Correspondence. 



89 



earlier that a Red-capped Cardinal amused himself spring-cleaning 

 Canaries' nests, as soon as the eggs were laid; however, several 

 young ones were reared and are singing very lustily now. The 

 Canaries seem to prefer to live outside in preference to a cold 

 glass-house, which I have attached to the flight. My aviary is not 



3 A/O-L-S 



very large but is comfortable, one end of the open flight being 

 close up to a hot-house, with two lights over the end, next the 

 hot-house. Then I have a wood shed, through which the birds 

 can pass into a cold glass-house,* where the canaries build their 

 nests in some dead bushes and dried isticks. The Canairies are 

 very tame but the other birds do not seem to be as friendly as 

 I should like. I have a White Java Sparrow (hen) who will insist 

 on laying her eggs in other birds' nests; I found no less than 16 

 eggs inside a cocoa-nut with two little half-fledged Budgies trying 

 to be happy under uncomfortable conditions. I am looking forward 

 to the spring and summer, as it is a great pleasui-e to me to 

 watch the birds and their pretty ways. 



(Miss) VENIE MAGGS. 

 Birstall, Yorks, 



February 7th, 1911. 



*The glass-house would answer bettor if the roof were covered 

 with roofing felt over the glass, at any rate for two -thirds of its 

 area; the sides of house would supply ample light. — Ed. 



A BEGINNER'S NOTES. 



Sir,— I have read with interest your article on Cutthroats in 

 the January issue— I should be glad if you would state size and style 

 of nest most suitafle, as there is evidently something wanting in my 

 eurrangements, as the following notes will indicate. 



