272 My Aviary and Birds. 



The Foreign Bird Avtarv: This had its beginnings 

 in June. 191 5. when' I was fortunntn enough to obtain a large 

 (rift, X 8ft.) polished teak Deck-Housc, taken from a steam 

 yach^ which had been dismantled for the purpose of conversion 

 into a fishing vessel. This, when erected in the garden and 

 suitably furnished, made an excellent " Outdoor Sitting-room/' 

 in which most of our unoccupied hours were spent. 



Now the aviary begins tO; come in; its beginnings 

 .■were small indeed. With the deck-house I obtained a 

 quantity of teak, tongued and grooved boards, and it occurred 

 to me to build' a s'mall aviary between the "Outdoor Sitting- 

 room and "the outer east wall. This was done. It measures, 

 including shelter. 9^ft. x 3.jft. A good view of the aviary 

 is obtained from the outdoor sitting-room (see plan). I soon 

 found it 'was overcrowded and that if I wanted breeding results, 

 I mus' extend, so as to obtain a naturally planted flight. I 

 commenced by obtaining a wooden shed 8|^ft. x 6^ft. as an 

 additional shelter, fixing it against the outer east wall, some 

 15ft. distant from the out-door, sitting-room, and then netted in 

 the space between the two, to a width of 14ft., thus obtaining 

 a nice flight 15ft. x '14ft., as well as a good shelter for same. 

 The shrubs are mostly laurels, aurubas, and privets — 1 find 

 the growth of these is retarded by being under wire and the 

 nipping off of the young shoots by the birds, especially 

 Canaries. I had also reached' a decision to construct another 

 aviary for British birds (but I will refer to this later) as I 

 had formed the opinion that they were better kept apart from 

 foreign finches. I will now give a few notes of the birds I 

 ha\';' kept in the above aviary. 



Melba Finches: I have only a male, he is in perfect 

 plumage, but inclined to be sluggish. 



RUFICAUDA Finches : A very handsome pair, at least 

 three nests have been built, but, alas 1 no eggs have been laid. 

 The constant " j'gging " with nesting material of considerable 

 length by the cock is most amusing. 



Zebra Finches : My pair have built at least six nests 

 and laid twenty-five eggs, but all were infertile. I think it 

 would be well to exchange your cock with some avicultural 

 friend. — Ed], 



