123 



constantly reiterating their little bell-like note. They 

 often obliged each other by apparently seeking for 

 insects on each other's necks, and would turn the 

 desired part to the searching bird in the fashion of 

 monkeys. They showed no signs of nesting, though 

 provided with a large pot of a reed-like plant ; and 

 unfortunately the experiment was brought to an end 

 by the cold and wet of that long remembered summer 

 of 1903, which killed the cock bird. His death how- 

 ever seemed to have no depressing effect on the hen, 

 which I subsequently sold in a healthy condition in 

 the autumn. These Bearded Tits did very well on 

 ordinary soft mixtures, and they were exceedingly 

 fond of crushed hemp and mealworms, and would 

 come freely to the hand for the latter. 



I kept some Snow Buntings right through the 

 summer, and their changes of plumage were interest- 

 ing to watch, but they showed no disposition to pair, 

 though this can of course hardly be wondered at. 



At the present time there is a very handsome 

 Magpie flying quite loose, and a Jackdaw with clipped 

 wings. These two seem to show some signs of pair- 

 ing — the Magpie certainly courting the Jackdaw, and 

 at times they display interest in nesting materials — 

 but whether any result will follow seems very doubtful. 



These few brief notes will I think show that more 

 failures than successes in the matter of breeding have 

 attended my experiments — but still the corner of the 

 garden occupied by the aviary is always interesting. 



