Visits to Members Aviaries. 303 



Dr. Amsler's Aviaries: (No. 1 Aviary). This aviary 

 has a fair amount of natural cover and has a shelter 

 attached— size of flight 15 x 5 feet. One pair of Gold- 

 fronted Green Fruitsuckers {Chloropsis aurifrons), enjoyed 

 semi -liberty here and were in excellent condition; they have 

 made several attempts to reproduce their kind, but though 

 a chick has been hatched on each occasion — three clutches of 

 eggs (two in number), were laid on June 4, 'July 20, and' 

 August 4, the respective chicks were fed for 1^, 12, and 8 

 days, and each time were found th own out of the nest. Very 

 disappointing, yet one can deduce this from the above inci- 

 dent, that in the near future this species should be success- 

 fully bred, the chief obstacle being the difficulty of getting 

 true pairs. I certainly hope that the distinction of breeding 

 this species for the first time will fall to the lot of Dr. 

 Amsler, also that he will send us a detailed account of the 

 above interesting but disappointing episodes. 



No. 2 Aviary: Very similar to No. 1 as to its arrange- 

 ment, To'ut is a little larger, the flight being 18 x 7 feet. 

 It contained quite a series of beautiful and interesting birds, 

 as follow: 



2 Pairs GouJdian Finches. 1 Pair Cuba Finches. 



2 ., Zebra Finches. 2 Pairs Sikhim Siskins (C. //fte^flwa) 



1 Pair Rnficauda Finches. 2 ,, Rufous-throated Blue Sugar- 



1 Black-headed Siskin ( S ), mated with hen Canary. bird 



Also a brood of Painted Quail, bred this summer in Aviary 

 No. 3. 



Gouldian Finches: These only commenced to nest with 

 the advent of cold weather and Dr. Amsler proposes separa- 

 ting the sexes for fear of egg binding. 



Zebra Finches: These have been nesting on and off 

 the whole season, numberless eggs have been laid, and the 

 birds have incubated steadily, but the bulk of the eggs have 

 proved infertile — no young reared. Dr. Amsler attributes 

 this either to the drought or in -breeding. 



Ruficauda Finches: These have nested four times, but 

 have only fully reared two young. The young disappear when 

 four or five days old — Dr. Amsler suspects mice, which are 

 very numerous. Now incubating a fifth clutch. (2 young fully 

 reared). , . 



Cuba Finches: Thes'e too have nested three or "four 



