87 



three eggs clear and geuerallj' examine the egg the sixth day, 

 and if it is clear I throw it away and they then at once lay 

 another in the same nest. Every year they go back to the nest 

 on the top of an old stump high up in a corner of the aviary. 



N. L. F. DUNI^EATH. 



THE NEW BIRD ROOM AT TODDINGTON 

 MANOR, BEDS. 



Sir, — This room is as far as position goes, nearly perfect 

 for birds, facing west and south-west, and being at the top of 

 the house, obtains early and late sun. Two windows, west and 

 south-west, with frames of wire, windows (open by pulleys), 

 with blinds to keep cool if wanted in summer. Then in two cor- 

 ners there are fir trees cut to fit from floor to ceiling with top 

 boughs left on and some up from bottom as convenient 

 perches ; round these are a thick bundle of reeds from lake, 

 making cosy hiding and nesting places. 



Floor is covered with zinc, extending upwards to cover 

 wainscotting, to make entrance by mice impossible, and the 

 door is made secure in the same manner, by putting a piece of 

 board across the frame to receive the zinc. The fire-place is 

 blocked with board. A deep covering of gravell}' sand is over 

 ziuc, and a large turf is in the corner. In front of windows 

 are wires stretched just below wire frames with food tins, and 

 below a perch. Big baths on floor and tins for the birds who 

 prefer to eat low — such as Mynah, Oriole, and one or two 

 others. 



The walls have been painted with Hall's Sanitary Wash- 

 able Distemper, white in color, so as to show up birds well. 

 A good many nest - branches are in another corner with 

 more reeds. In this room I have the following birds at 

 present : — 



Golden Oriole, Red-cheeked Bulbul, Lesser Mynah, Brown- 

 throated Candinal, one pair Yellow-bellied Liothrix, White 

 Javas, Ribbon Finches, Green Singing Finches, Madagascar 

 Weavers, Whydahs, Diamond Sparrows, and Pintail Nonpareils. 



Should any of our members want a really happy life for 

 their birds, make a bird-room, let it be a large one. The 



