34 The Euditrancc of Birds. 



lixcn at the risk of being considered prosy I must 

 name n few conditions under which <aviculturists may keep 

 birds during tlie winter niontJis, conditions which are not open 

 main l)ody of iheir fellow avics. 



1. An aviary in an enclosed space, shut in by sui- 

 rounding buildings and thus sheltered from driving wind, rain 

 and snow, yet not debarred from sunlight. 



2. An aviary in a sheltered position, in which the whole 

 of the flight is covered in, even though there be no shelter 

 attached. 



I have no desire to weary my readers with too many 

 such statements ; these should suffice to make my meaning 

 clear. Of course there are other conditions common to special 

 localities, which modify or otherwise the risks of leaving 

 birds in undisturbed possession of their freedom in an outdoor 

 aviary during the winter months, e.g., the aviculturist whose 

 aviaries, some of the Sugar and Sunbirds could undoubtedly 

 infinitely better position for taking risks, than the one who 

 has to do his best with a sub-soil of clay. I think this 

 must suffice for the present for the sign (a), though reference 

 will again be made thereto later on. 



To pass on to the sign (fj, which indicates that the 

 Ijirds are best housed indoors for the winter months. I think 

 but few of my readers will question my use of the dagger 

 in the list (ante p.p. 16-20). I must, however, state that 

 all the birds so marked were kept by me outdoors, usually 

 from Easter till the end of October. 



It will be noted that the birds which come under this 

 heading are certain genera of the Tanagridac, certain Plocei- 

 dae, Sugarbirds, Sunbirds, Toucans, In very sheltered 

 aviaries, some of the Sugar and Sunbirds could undoubtedly 

 be wintered outside, but in our uncertain climate, with no two 

 winters alike, is the risk worth while? Of the Tanagers, the 

 genera Eiiphonia, Cloruphonia, and some Calliste should cer- 

 tainly be brought indoors, or at any rate only given the 

 range of shelter and covered flight ; at least that is my ex- 

 perience of them, though I liave kept most of them in fairly 

 roomy indoor flights, in an outdoor building, without artificial 



