92



Notes.



During the hard and continuous frosts in November, when

there were as much as 17 degrees at the very least, cordon bleus and

African fire-finches (common) seemed perfectly happy in Mr. Astley’s

outdoor aviaries, although of course they are in a warmed shelter,

with the windows open however, of a night. But as soon as it is

light theyare flying about in the open, and bathe later on in icy-cold

water. And a pair of violet-eared waxbills is equally well-to-do.


:K * '.'fi *


When the birds do become acclimatized, they are far better

out, than in.


A Cape robin-chat ( Gossypha caffra ) sings most sweetly on

winter mornings, when one feels anything but song-like oneself!

And pink-crested touracos look none the worse either. They bathe

in pools from which the ice has just been removed ! and seem to

feel the cold less than the American blue-birds.


* * * *


One day in December, when a stiff north-westerly wind was

blowing, and the sun shining really brightly for the time of year,

Mr. Astley, busily planting box-bushes in his aviaries, attracted the

curiosity of six Queen Alexandra parrakeets, three male hooded

(golden-shouldered), two Barrabands, and a pair of King parrots,

all of which were running about on the lawn close to him ; a galaxy

of colour well worth seeing. Bose-pink, mauve blue and bright

yellow-green on the * Queen Alexandras,’ vivid verdigris blue-green

and daffodil-yellow on the hooded parrakeets, intense scarlet and

rich green on the King, and the male Barraband with his resplendent

green body, and golden-yellow throat edged with a scarlet band.

And all in the pink of condition,


* ^ 5K *


On a bare tree, close by, in the larger aviary in which the

owner was at work, sat a red cardinal, as red as red could be, and

just behind him, so that the two patches of colour touched each

other, was a male bluebird.



