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may be named as, in all probability, nesting freely in 

 an aviary ; but here again the difficulty arises of 

 making sure of a true pair. 



The Redpolls, of which I had seven or eight, made 

 a most cheerful band, but I found them terribly des- 

 tructive, as they ate all the buds and small leaves of 

 the aviary plants, including in their depredations the 

 killing of the only tree, a copper beech. They showed 

 no signs though out in the open of assuming full 

 breeding plumage, and made no attempt to nest, 

 although it may be presumed that amongst the number 

 both sexes were present. My experience however 

 enables me to warn aviarists against Redpolls in an 

 aviary if they wish to keep their vegetation. 



A great interest afforded by the aviary v^'as the 

 attracting of wild birds of like species to those in 

 captivity ; and, although this garden is within the 

 London area, and indeed only just without the four 

 mile radius, visits have been noted from the following 

 birds at different times: Greenfinches, Redpolls, 

 Chaffinches, Bramblefinches (this as a wild bird is 

 certainly very rare in these parts), Stonechats, Long- 

 tailed, Blue, Cole, and Great Tits, Lesser White- 

 throats, a hen Redstart, Yellowhammer, Gold Crest 

 and ordinary Wren, and Missel Thrushes, besides such 

 common birds as Thrushes, Blackbirds, Starlings, 

 Robins and Hedge-Sparrows. 



In November 1902 I became the possessor of a 

 pair of Bearded Tits ; they were strong and healthy, 

 fed well, and were no trouble. After keeping them 

 together in an indoor aviary for the winter I gave them 

 the run of the big aviary in the following May. This 

 pair of birds were extremely affectionately disposed 

 towards each other, always roosting close together like 

 Love-birds, and often settling down together during 

 the day for a few moments. Generally they were 

 restless and their movements full of life and vim ; 



