113 



other aviarists keep these birds in open aviaries with 

 perfect success. — Ed.]. 



I fear I could not speak of the Gould in the 

 language of the insurance office as a ' good life,' but 

 he is undoubtedl}' a thing of beauty. Solomon in all 

 liis glory may have equalled him ; excelled him, I am 

 sure he cannot. He is always beautifully groomed, 

 never a feather out of place, his one aim in life being 

 to dress himself up so that all his fellow gentlemen — 

 may hate him, and all his fellow ladies — love him. 



Gouldiau Finches are exceedingly fond of rock 

 salt, and a lump should be kept in their aviary, and 

 frequently moistened. In the summer, when seeding 

 grass is abundant I always give them a bundle, and 

 they spend most of their day picking it carefully over. 



Some people give them a bad name for quarreling. 

 I have never found them so ; but then, mine have 

 plenty of room. I can't say what they might do in a 

 cage. 



The best way to buy Gouldiau Finches is from 

 a friend if you can. I got my last from a private 

 importation. They are caught as young birds in 

 October ; moulted out, and sent over in lovely con- 

 dition in the following spring. If you have ever seen 

 a cage crowded with Gouldians in a dealer's shop, you 

 will not be surprised that they die. They are packed 

 like herrings in a barrel, and the heat of the cage 

 must be terrific. They are then sent on a long and 

 very often cold journey, turned into an aviary or bird- 

 room, and they naturally snufF out. I always keep 

 newly-imported birds for some weeks in a box cage 

 and my losses are comparatively very few. 



The young Goulds are pale green little birds with 

 none of the lovely markings of the adults. 



Some years ago I happened to go into Mr. 

 Hamlyn's shop and he showed me half-a-dozen young 

 Goulds out of colour, I bought them as a spec, to see 

 what they would moult out into ; and of the six, two 



