ss 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



A 

 OF 



them on to the top of the corner uprights 

 and at the ojien ends. The other pieces 

 can then be fixed. Though this roof is not 

 scientifically constructed it will be found 

 ([uite suitable to the purpose of the aviary. 

 The framework over the ])orch should 

 next be put together with the g-inch match- 

 boarding, of which also 

 the roof is built. The 

 latter is completed by 

 uiRANGEMENT nailing some l}-inch round 



- ROOF BEAMS. '^ * 



or cornice lengths over 

 the joints of the boards at each angle, and 

 not forgetting some kind of ornamental 

 knob or spire for the top. 



The roof can be made thoroughly water- 

 tight if it is covered with sheet zinc before 

 the rounds or cornices are nailed in their 

 places, or the cornices could be covered 

 with the sheet zinc as well. 



The double doors yet remain to be 

 made, one for the entrance into the porch 



— which should be strong 

 The Aviary .^j^^, ^^.^j, ,^ together— and 

 Doors. '- " 



an inner one, which is fixed 



at the other end of the porch and admits 

 directly into the aviary. This need not 

 be of (luite such stout material as the 

 outer door, as it is really only placed here 

 to make the aviary doid)ly secure against 

 the csca])e of birds. The outer door should, 

 of course, always be closed before the inner 

 one is opened, so that should a bird dart 

 past as this inner door is opened it can 

 get no larlhcr than the porch, where it can 

 be easily secured or driven liack into the 

 aviary. For convenience" sake it is better 

 to make both doors the same size. The 

 cross-bars should all be mortised and 

 tenoned into the uprights, and if it is liesired 

 to make an extra strong job a diagonal 

 piece should run I'rdin tn|> to bottimi. 

 hf)use(l into the cross-bars. 



There now remains only the galxaiiiscd 

 wire or linc-mcsh wire netting to fix on 

 to these fraiues, and the doors will be com- 

 ])letc. The wood I'or the fillets can be sawn 

 out ol' any odd pieces that are lel't o\er. 

 The strength of the hinges to be used in the 

 hanging of the doors ilej)ends entirely upon 

 the weight of the latter. It is well, howe\er, 



to remember that it is always better to have 

 them a little on the strong side than other- 

 wise. They not only last longer, but the 

 doors hang more true ; weak or slender 

 hinges are a soiu'ce of trouble from almost 

 the connneneemcnt, for they quickly allow 

 the doors to drop out of their proper level. 

 Of locks for securing the doors there are 

 plenty, but the good ones are the cheapest 

 in the end, for the cheap forms soon get out 

 of order. A wire catch or hasp should be 

 fixed on the inner side of both doors, so 

 that they can be seciu'cly fastened from 

 within the aviary, without any fear of 

 their flying open. 



The flight portion of the aviary may 

 be doubly wired as an extra precaution 



against cats. This is done 

 Wiring and ,,^. ^^^i tj^^ i,^,^cr side of 

 Painting. ■ " , 



the wooden frame as well as 



the outer ; this allows a space between 

 the two, so that when the birds cling to the 

 wirework — which they usually do — they 

 are well out of reach of any marauding 

 tabbies. 



Two or three coats of good paint on both 

 wood- and wirework should be given as 

 a protection against the ravages of bad 

 weather, and a coat at intervals afterwarils, 

 for the sake of keejiing the structure in 

 good preservation and appearance, shouhl 

 never be neglected. 



Such an aviary can be fitted u]), in a 

 similar nunnier to that reconunended for 

 the indoor aviary, with nests, 

 perches, food vessels, fountain, 

 etc. The green shrubs are nuich more 

 casilv kc])t green in the open flights than 

 in an indoor a\iary, and il' the I'arth forms 

 the lloor a hedge of pi-i\cl may be planted 

 on the inside o! the wirework either 

 partK' or right round the llight. The 

 birds will nuich enjoy this to fly into, and 

 will c\cn build tluir nests in it. >Vliere the 

 earth loi-nis the lluor it is advisable to run 

 a border of concrete right round the out- 

 side of the aviary, to a depth i>f at least 

 (> inches — il' it is 1(» or 1"-' inches deep so 

 much the better — to present the ingress of 

 virnnn. If a covcred-in house in which 

 the birds may roost is built to an aviary 



Fittings. 



