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Practical Bird-Keeping .—/ V. Parrakeets.


requires constant stoking, and thus burns much more fuel than

a larger boiler which is allowed to burn gently.


Aviary Fittings.


A tray, about two inches in depth and from nine to twelve

inches in diameter forms a very useful receptacle for seed. It

should be supported upon a light iron framework hung from the

roof, where mice cannot reach it, and in such a way that it can

be lifted out for cleaning daily.


Nesting boxes are made in varying shapes and sizes. They

should be oblong in shape, with an entrance hole at one end near

the top, a short perch just below this hole, and a small door near

the end farthest from the entrance, for inspection and cleaning.

The bottom of the box should be so formed that there is a

saucer-shaped depression near the end, and a gentle slope down

to this from the entrance.


For such Parrakeets as Cockatiels, Rosellas, Redrumps, and

so forth, the dimensions of the box would be: length, i foot 6

inches; height and width 8 inches ; and the entrance 2j inches

in diameter. For larger birds, such as Kings, it should be some¬

what larger, and rather smaller for such as the smaller Conures

and Lorikeets.


For Budgerigars I have found the most suitable box is one

eight inches in height by six inches in the other two dimensions,

with an entrance hole of ij inches in diameter, and the bottom

made slightly concave. But for these little Parrakeets several

nesting-boxes can be made in one as they are gregarious and

very sociable and do not object to their nesting-holes being only

a few inches apart.


Nest-boxes should always be fixed high up on the walls of

the covered portion of the aviary, preferably in a corner as far away

from the door as possible and somewhat hidden by brush-wood.


Perches should be freely supplied, and should consist

merely of strong branches of trees securely fixed to the walls or

roof. If perches or seed-tray are hung from the roof by a stout

wire, this should have a stick wired on to it to make it visible to

the birds, and so prevent them flying against it, as they might do

if the wire were practically invisible.


The floor of the shed should be covered with clean sharp



