172 Freely Imported Species and Their Treatment. 



of vantage, which overlooks and is also visible from all sides. This 

 position the birds greatly like, even on the coldest days. 



There is a covered shed at the western end, and a sub- 

 stantial hut shelter in the other eastern portion ; and in the lattei*, 

 well lighted with glass windows, I keep the seeds and most of the 

 hoppers. 



The aviary stands at the top of the garden, and is sheltered 

 all round ])y an old stone wall, and, facing south gets all the sun 

 there is, in fact the situation is excellent. But the stone wall 

 forms a safe hiding place for numberless mice to the detriment of 

 my seed bill. Under the north wall are wooden roof shelters 

 about two feet wide running along some two thirds of the back of 

 the aviarv. 



Last year I had a mixed lot of English and Foreign birds : 

 English Finches, Budgerigars, and single pairs of Cockateels, Pen- 

 nants, Rosellas, Red-rumps, and Black -cheeked Lovebirds. The 

 result was most unsatisfactory, as so many birds were killed by 

 the Parrakeets, the main offenders being, I think, the Red-rumps. 



This year I determined to wire off in the tower and the 

 eastern end, the pairs of Parrakeets above mentioned, by them- 

 selves, 'shutting oft" the Tower on its western side. The smaller 

 western portion I reserved for Canaries, a Goldfinch, and one 

 pair of Black-cheeked Lovebirds. 



Red-rump Parrakeets : These have already fully reared 

 two young. The hen laid her first Qg,g. on March 28th, and began 

 to sit on a clutch of four eggs on April 1st. She hatched out three 

 chicks on April 20th, one of the eggs being infertile ; ])ut one of 

 the chicks died in the nest, the other two proved to be both males. 

 Young Red-rumps seem very loth to leave the nest, and 

 the first of these did not do so until the 2r)th of May, being then 

 about five weeks old. Both seem very strong and healtliy birds. 



These Red-rumps nested this year, as last, in a large coco- 

 nut husk, which the hen scratches out a good deal before she lays. 

 She would appear to be a good deal cramped. 



Pennant and Rosella Parrakeets : My great hopes 

 for this year are to do something with the Pennants, or the 

 Rosellas, oi- both. 



They have choice of five oyster tubs about one and a half 

 feet long slung lengthwise, half boarded at one end and some 



