OUTDOOR AVIAKV AND HJGHT. 

 The property of Mr. Holmes, Carlisle. 



CHAPTER VIII 



THE OUTDOOR A\IARY 



The aviary method of keepiiifj birds, as 

 we have already explained, is best ada])ted 

 lor those who haxc no definite ])nr|>ose, 

 other than the pleasure derivable I'roni 

 fjencral obscrxation — a ]ileasure of the 

 hij^hest order, th()U(,rh eonlined. in a eon- 

 siderable degree, to the siin]ile lover of 

 Nature who regards all her niaiiirestations 

 with a delight into which no (piestion of 

 how or why intrude. To such the out- 

 door aviary opens uj) a new world of in- 

 terest, peo|)led with forms whose outer 

 adornment is of less moment than the 

 l)cauties of their inner life. These equally 

 charm the fancier, who nevei'theless is 

 more exacting in his demands in other 

 respects, llis admiration of the general 

 economv of tlu^ aviarv is not lessened if 



to it he unites other aims, and seeks to 

 clothe its tenants in higher forms of beauty. 

 It may be, ai\d probably is the case, that 

 any one ruling passion has a tendency to 

 crowd o\it others: but there is no reason 

 why one healthy feeling should absorb 

 more than its due share of attention, and 

 we fail to discover any reason why the 

 interests of the true natiu-alist and the 

 genuine lancier shcmld not be I'onibincd. 



We have said that each of the methods 

 of breeding indicated has its ad\antages 

 and disadvantages. We nuiy sum up the 

 advantages of the a\i;\ry system briefly, 

 bv saying that it in\(il\(s only a small 

 amount of eai'c and attention: the birds 

 are left pretty nnich to take care of them- 

 selves, to ciioose their own mates, .and make 



84 



