My Aviary Experiences. 223 



Zoo, where the aviaries are truly fine, and also in the Bush 

 in the wild state made me a keen aviculturist. The war, and 

 munitions, with the necessity for being daily on the spot, has 

 given me the opportunity for studying the few birds I keep. 



I brought back in 1914, twelve pairs of finches, viz.; 

 Cherry, Chestnut-breasted, Zebra, Parson, and Bicheno; these 

 all travelled perfectly in a box-cage 24in. x i 2in. x i 2in. — all 

 arriving in the best of condition. I kept them through the 

 winter in a room heated by fire and hot water-pipes, and in 

 spring put them' outside into a 1 2 feet by 8 feet enclosed 

 aviary, together with SatYron linches, Redpolls, 'Whydahs, 

 Indigo Buntings, Budgerigars, and other birds. 



In May I added an open flight 14ft. x 6ft. x 6ft. 



The summer of i 9 i 5 was disastrous, in so far as that 

 the hens died of "egg-binding " in a wholesale manner. The 

 only exception being the Saffrons, which reared young satis- 

 factorily, h\\\ I ihad to part with them, as they were murderous 

 towara.' all the smaller birds, even in an aviary of those 

 dimensions. 



Last winter, 191 5.. ! heated the enclosed aviary incon- 

 sistently, and had a number of losses. In future I shall give 

 no artificial heat whatever. 



This spring the Ribbon and Zebra Finches nested and 

 reared young without trouble, also the Budgerigars. I had 

 nests of Redpolls and St. Helena Seed-eaters, and young 

 were hatched our, a very fine Pintail Whydah, when he took 

 on his summer plumage, played havoc with all open nests, 

 eggs and young, before I found him out. In any except very 

 spacious aviaries the mixing of the Serins is also very much, 

 against successful breeding, as they arc so quarrelsome. In 

 my opinion the Australian Finches are much more satisfactory, 

 inasmuch as they can withstand any climate except an exces- 

 sively damp one, and this much I liave proved. .My Chestnut- 

 brtasted Finches arc and have always been in perfect coiidi- 

 tion. also Cherry and Zebra Finches — ^they have lived in a 

 temperature of 70 degrees for days, and again, have had 70 

 degrees by day and 5 of frost the same night, and it never 

 nifiled a feather; 1 do not know any other Finches that are 



