42 Purple SunMrds. 



other thing- they liked was to sit on a slice of cucumber and 

 suck the juice. 



Of course all these delights are perforce at an end 

 during the winter, though they still manage to hawk and 

 catch gnats in surprising quantity. It is curious how little 

 v^-'eather affects them.— [they have proved equally hardy in ii 

 Surrey aviary.— Ed.].— I do not pretend that Ihey do not 

 enjoy warm sunshine, but neither wet nor cold seem to i-nffle 

 them, and somehow they always looked dry and sleek. The 

 cock began to come into colour during October and by the 

 end of November was quite perfect. 



They bathe freely, sometimes in a shallow dish, but 

 more frequently they flutter alx)ut among wet foliage which 

 seems to be their natural method. The cock is a pugnacious 

 little rascal and quite holds his own among the Sugar Birds 

 and small finches in the aviary, in fact, only his small size 

 prevents him from being a decided bully. The little hen goes 

 her own way without any fuss, but I have noticed that she 

 too can make herself respected by her neighbours. The birds 

 show no interest 'm each other, either amicable or otherwise; 

 perhaps had there been any hot weather this would have been 

 different; I cannot say. 



The avinry in wbicb the Suubirds are, is only n sm;ill 

 one alwut 10ft. by 4ft. in the covered part and lOft. by 

 8ft. in the fli^jht, 8ft. high throughout: it is heated bty a 

 small coil of hot water pipes and the birds are shut in at 

 night, but 'during the day go in and out at pleasure unless 

 the weather is very severe. The covered part has spruce 

 tops packed in places with bundles of beather, which T find 

 excellent for shelter and sleeping quarters. The 'flight was 

 only added last spring and the shrubs and climbers planted 

 there have not had time to make effective shelter, so spruce 

 tops and heather are here also. The ground is earth with 

 growing turf, but wire netting has be-i^n sunk all round 18ins. 

 deep to guard again'=!t rats, and a broad band of zinc at the 

 bottom prevents mice from gam-ng a foothold readily, though 

 I do not claim that it is impossible; sti'l we are not much 

 trmibled with them. The aspect is south and west, witli (com- 

 plete shelter from north and east. The flight has a double 

 roof, that is to say, it is composed of two layers of jin. wire 



