My Aviary and Gould Ian Finches. 43 



I may say that the water supply of the part of Kent 

 where I then lived was strongly impregnated with lime— of 

 this more anon. ' 



In the spring of 191 3, I bought a pair of Black-headed 

 Gouldians with other birds from an East-end dealer— most of 

 the birds in that consignment (a large one) were in very 

 poor condition. I picked out a fairly good looking cock 

 bird, bu' of hens " bad was the best," and I had' to be con- 

 tent with a bald-headed puffed out little specimen. This little 

 misery has proved to be treasure. 



These birds were caged and kept for a week indoors, 

 but soon, some Masked Finches were dead and as a last hope 

 I turned t^e survivors into the shelter of my newly built 

 aviary. Next morning 1 picked up the corpse of the cock 

 ^iouldian, but the hen, in spite of chilly April weather, c|uickly 

 picked up and was soon in good health though poor feather. 

 {To be continued). 



The Bird Trappers of the Riverina. 



This article and illusiirations by Charles Barrett has been 

 reprinted from the Austral' an Magazine ^^ Life "' {Apl.^ 

 1 91 4), with apologies to the author and publishers. 

 —Editor, ''Bird Notes." 



The (ialah [Rose^'ite Cockatoo. — Ed. '" B.N'.'j has been 

 the subject of much controversy. Many naturalists regard the 

 bird as a farmer's friend; but wheat-growers declare that it 

 is a pest and should be destroyed. When in Riverina towards 

 the close of last year, I liad opportunities to study the Galah 

 «|Ucslion, I saw how the Cockatoos arc trapped, and heard all 

 the arguments in fa\-our of the \ lew that the spc(-ies should 

 be exterminated. 



Without venturing any delinile opinion, 1 may say that, 

 if a commission, consisting of fanners and naiuialisis, with 

 an independent chairjnan, were appointed to deal with the 

 matter, the decision would probably be that the (lalah, like 

 the Starling, is clcsirable in some localities ;ind the reverse in 

 others. 



