Aviary Episodes — 1911. 135 



—quite covered in and absolutely lined with feathers, and with 

 a very small opening in the side. They have five eggs, and 

 both birds sit constantly and simultaneously! Certainly I don't 

 think one could cover five eggs, so they cuddle in together 

 and cover them that way! 



Green Cardinals got the length of two eggs in a box 

 under the eaves; in exactly the same position as last year, 

 but in the other aviary. Unfortunately the young bird was 

 left with them, and though he (or she, whichever it is) helped 

 all he could in building the nest by carrying grass and sticks, 

 I fancy he unsettled them. At any rate both eggs were thrown 

 out of the nest the day after the second egg was laid. T have 

 transferred the young bird to No. 3 aviary, and now they 

 are building again. This time on the top of a box next to 

 the one they were inside. Not a very good site, and .so far 

 only the sticks are laid with which they always make the 

 foundations of their nest. Rut old cocky has begun to sing 

 again--which he gave up after the eggs were destroyed— so 

 I fancy they mean to get to business again soon. 



Neglected warnings ! Last year I used some long hairy 

 stuff as nesting material, and it resulted in disaster, a bird 

 getting hung upon it, and several also warned me against using 

 it, yet when my man hung some up again I let it remain, again 

 a disaster. A Masked Grassfinch, mated to a Parson Finch, 

 got hung by the leg out of a coco -nut husk, and was dead when 

 I discovered her. They had eggs ! ! 



The Aurora Pinches (Crimson -winged Waxbills) have 

 made a nest in a box under the eaves and the hen is often in 

 it, but no eggs are laid as yet. 



The Tanagers (Scarlet and Blue), also the Ked- throated 

 Blue Sugarbirds are all out in No. 3 aviary, except the Black 

 Tanagers, which are in No. 1. The latter are very fussy, and 

 I think may nest when the Budgerigars are moved. The 

 Scarlets are very chummy, and the Blues are carrying fluff and 

 other stuff about — and I am hoping ! 



The Silverbills are also nesting, I think, but these do 

 not get much notice now. 



The Cuban Finches built a nest as soon as they were 

 put in No. 2 aviary, but the hen was not in very good form. 

 No eggs were laid, so I took the cock away and gave him a 



