208



Notes for the Month.



Many birds will give up nesting rather than nest in an uncongenial

place. They seem to prefer to face the light provided it is not too

strong and glaring.


Don’t spoil a season by putting in spiteful and interfering

birds. In one instance an entire season was spoilt by a very in¬

quisitive pair of fruitsuckers, who always became most inquisitive

as the young began to call for food, i.e., just when they were

beginning to feather. Odd birds of any kind are simply taboo.


All birds should he properly paired and ringed so that they

may be instantly recognised. It sounds a trouble, but experience

has shown that if one doesn’t there is ten times more trouble ahead,

and sooner or later one will make a mistake and part with a valuable

breeding bird and he kept with possibly two cocks or at the best

father and daughter or mother and son.


Don’t expect patriarchial birds to breed even if they show

every attention to the opposite sex. Even human beings are apt

to make themselves ridiculous in this way. Have nothing to do with

birds with scaley legs, bald pates, swollen feet, deformed limbs.

They are dear at any price and seldom if ever breed. Only 100 1+1

for the breeding aviary please.


In nature hardbills feed on the ground, thereby ingesting grit.

Grit is food for them. {Verb. sap).


With regard to the flight. Every flight should have a good

open space in the centre with good gravel or sand on the ground.

Don’t convert your flight into a Hampton Court maize or an Indian

jungle.


Trek such soil as is left lightly over and sow what seeds you

have a fancy for. Remember the true finches will destroy all vege¬

tation as easily as parrakeets, and it is useless trying to keep the

house well ” with these big beaked marauders about. Weavers are

nearly as bad, but grassfinches and softbills do know how to behave

themselves in a private garden.


Carefully run over the netting especially if snow has weighed

it down. Holes will be near the supporting parts or where trees are

growing through the netting itself. Every aviary should have a bird

bath. It can be made very easily and cheaply as a shallow concreted

and cemented depression in the ground. A soak away may be added



