48 Aviary Notes Mid Ejnsodds — 1912. 



there was no bar built across the neck or entrance of the 

 nest. 



On the 1 2th August I thought it would be worth wliile 

 having a look inside the nest as the hen appeared to remain 

 in it for long intervals, though whenever fresh feathers were 

 placed in the aviary she started re-lining again. 



I found two eggs of a greyish -green colour, speckled 

 and spotted very closely with rufous brown. 



The young hatched out on 18th August, but three days 

 later all trace of them had completely vanished. The hen 

 went to nest again almost immediately (so I am informed 

 for as I have already mentioned I left town about this time), 

 and laid one egg which proved infertile. 



She again went to nest at the latter end of September, 

 laying one egg, but this also failed to hatch. The old cock, 

 one of the pair which bred in 11)11, has unfortunately just 

 succumbed to the effects of the combination of wet, cold, and 

 foggy weather we have experienced lately. I have still a fine 

 cock Euf us -necked Weaver (H. cucullalus), and hope I may 

 prove successful in obtaining a cross with him. The difficulty 

 with these birds is to rear the young once they have hatched, 

 and no doubt to be successful one must keep the birds Widll 

 supplied with a constant and varied insectivorous diet, and 

 this to one living in town is not a particularly easy matter, 



I think this comprises my list of the more interesting 

 sipecies : 



Other birds which succeeded in rearing young in my 

 aviaries were as follows: 



Greenfinches (Ligu)inus chloris): Reared three young 

 from one pair. 



Zebra Finches {T . castanotis) : Two pairs reared be- 

 ■cween them about 12 young. 



Canaries: One pair reared nine in out-door aviai-y, 



Cockateels: {CalojJsittaciis novcB hoUandice) : One pair 

 after many failures, succeeded in rearing two young birds. 



Budgeriyars {MelojKisitUicxts undnUitus) : Two pairs only 

 succeeded in rearing three. 



Saffron Finches {Sycalis flavcola): one pair had several 

 nests, but the young on each occasion met with disaster from 



