i6o 



the true demeanour etc. of any given species can be accurately learned.— 

 Ed.]. 



WrNTP:RING CORDON BLEUS OUT OF DOORS, RTC. 



Sir, — I have for a long period kept birds in cages, ))nt last 

 year decided to put up an outdoor aviary, following the hints 

 given by the late Dr. Greene in his book on Cage Birds. 



It is a wire-netting lean-to structure r2ft. long by 6ft. wide 

 by 9ft. high at its highest point; it is built against a brick wall 

 and has a South aspect. A large cage, part wood and part glass 

 stands at one end, raised two feet from the ground, this con- 

 tains a tray for sand and the food vessels; branches and twigs 

 are used for perches. A wide strip of American cloth covers 

 about a fourth part of the roof of flight. There are two 

 Myrtles growing against the wall inside aviary and two stout 

 Fir branches are fixed into the grass floor. It contains eight 

 small foreign birds, Waxbills of various kinds, a pair of Cordon 

 Bleus, and a Cutthroat ; the latter chases the other birds about 

 considerably, but otherwi.se does no harm. [If a mate were 

 provided he would probably worry his fellow captives less.— Ed] 

 The Cutthroat has a funny way of spreading out its feathers and 

 dancing up and down to a low kind of clucking sound, which 

 it keeps up all the time [the nuptial dance. — Ed.]. As there 

 is no means of either lighting or heating the aviary, it was a 

 relief and pleasure to find that the birds had not suffered from 

 their first Winter (which was long and cold) out of doors, but 

 are in the best of health and plumage. The Cordons have 

 commenced to build a nest in one of the Myrtles, a very ex- 

 citing event. The}' seem to prefer the open air to cocoa-nut 

 husks and wooden boxes. The late heavy rains will I fear have 

 a discouraging effect on their ardour. 



Hon. Mrs. SOMERSET Ward. 



[The above interesting- account is by no means an isolated ca.se, and 

 amply proves that those which survive the conditions of importation, etc. 

 are most certainly not deUcate ; but kept under hygienic conditions will 

 live and thrive for several years in captivity. But how few the numbers are 

 which survive the hardships of importation is, alas, only too common know- 

 ledge.— Ed. J. 



