252 Practical Bh'd- Keeping .— Correspondence.


I have kept through several winters: an Indigo Finch, Cutthroats,

Diamond Finches, Pekin Robins, Weavers, Zebra Finches (who constantly

add to their numbers), Orange Breasts, Orange - cheeked Waxbills,

Avadavats, Firefiuclies, Diamond Doves, etc. My trouble is that the Pekin

Robins have each hatched three clutches of eggs these last two summers,

and will not or cannot rear them ; and the Diamond Finches build and lay

eggs for ever, but do not even hatch.


I enclose a rough plan of my aviary in case you care to make any

use of it. Adelaide Dawnay.



Sir,— Seeing your appeal for accounts from members of the results

obtained from wintering birds out of doors, I send the following notes.


I have two small aviaries, each consisting of a glazed and boarded

shelter, a roofed flight and open flight. One aviary has the glazed shelter

heated with pipes, the other has no heat at all.


In the unheated aviary I have kept the following birds in perfect

health : -Barbary Doves (the cock aged 23 years this spring), a Barbarv

Partridge, Bullfinches, Green Glossy Starling, Pekin Robins, cock Indigo

Buntings, a cock St. Helena Seedeater and a cock Black-faced Yellow

Weaver. I am not sure to which species the last mentioned bird belongs.

When in colour he is bright golden yellow, beak and wings greenish yellow,

face, bill and throat jet black, forehead ruddy chestnut, irides scarlet.

Rather heavily built and about the size of a Greenfinch. There has not

been a death in this aviary for over two years.


The other aviary has the compartment where the birds sleep heated

during the winter, and is tenanted by a Hoopoe, a pair of Diamond Doves

and a very aged Orange Bishop. The Hoopoe has lived there two years.

A cock Red Gouldian Finch and a cock Hooded Siskin also wintered there

successfully.


These aviaries have tiled and felted roofs and are match-boarded

throughout, with tiled floors except in the flights, which are partly turfed

and partly sanded. They face South and West, and are sheltered by other

buildings from the North and East. That they are warm and snug is shown

by the fact that even in the unheated part water does not freeze when less

than 7 0 of frost is registered in the open. I do not find the birds care to

remain in the heated part during the day, unless snow be falling, they

generally remain in the open flight and only come in to feed and roost.

With the pipes on I can keep a minimum of 40 to 45 degrees.


E. F. Chawner.



