226 



The Red-headed Finch has more than once been 

 crossed with the Ribbon Finch, and the male hj'brid, 

 at any rate in some examples, exhibits both the red 

 head and the red neck-band. 



precautions. 



Bv the Rev. C. D. Farrar. 



y^ e careful to shut all doors after you. The neglect 

 \(\ of this simple precaution has before now cost 

 . ■!■ -^ dear. I know a man who carelessly left a door 

 open one evening, and his cock Turqiioisine 

 got into the next compartment ; the hen came off to 

 see where he had got to ; failed to find her way back, 

 and a fine nest of youngsters perished. Another time 

 I left a door open and a very pretty fight ensued be- 

 tween a cock Barnard and a cock Blue Mountain, and 

 when it was over neither were worth very much. 



Be catUious as to what groivs in an enclosure to 

 which nesting Parrakeets have ready access. Elder 

 seems an innocent shrub, in all conscience. Who 

 would dream that a Parrakeet would eat its acrid 

 foliage ? And yet a cock Turquoisine of mine did so ; 

 and fed therewith a nest of five splendid youngsters 

 which all died afterwards. 



Don t leave pails oj water kicking about in an 

 aviary, or you will be sure to find the bird you most 

 value floating head downwards therein in the morning. 



A catching net carelessly propped up against the 

 wall of a compartment full of birds has 'ere now 

 claimed its victim ; and nothing will atone for the 

 poignancy of anguish when you find a dead bird 

 therein, the result of 3'our culpable negligence. The 

 place for the net is outside the aviary, except when in 

 use. 



