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It was apparently quite strong and healthy and able to fly

through the aviary, when one day I found it twirling round and

round on the floor. I did all I could for it but it died. It was very

fat, and in beautiful plumage. The parents were very fond of it,

and whenever I gave them mealworms, took them at once to the

young one. I also reared a Zebra Dove, but rain killed it after

it was able to fly about outside. There have been about twenty

young Zebra Finches all doing well, and I saw a nest of six:

appear only the other day just able to fly. The Parson Finches

also sat on eggs, but the mice, who I am sorry to say have found

out the aviary, broke them all (one mouse was found in the nest).

There is all round the aviary a bed of cement, which prevents

any rat from finding a way in, and I thought the wire mesh was

small enough to keep out mice ; but we have killed nine in the

cottage. I now propose to hang branches and nesting boxes

from the roof by thin wire, as the sides of the house are so

smooth that no mouse could get up them. If it had not been

for the mice I should have reared very many more birds.


I got the Gouldians from P. Castang, Leadenhall Market ;

they are very handsome, and in perfect health. To-night ( b ) for

the first time I have shut the door and front windows, the tem¬

perature being forty-five inside. The aviary is not heated. My

Virginian Cardinals made several nests and laid eggs, but

unluckily the Popes were in the same division and killed the

cock Cardinal.


I have had for some years a big heated aviary in a large

conservatory attached to the house, and I intend, if I find any of

the birds suffer from the cold, to move them up to it. I have

as yet only had to bring in two Parrakeets, which were in full

moult and felt the cold very much. The others are all in

beautiful plumage, having all moulted outside. The Nonpareils

last week had hardly a feather, and were covered with “spikes,”

yet they persisted in roosting out of doors, and are now almost

in their full plumage and the Indigo and Combasous have got

their Winter suits.


I forgot to say that I reared ten Californian Quails

from a cock and two hens ; I tried to bring them up under

Bantams, but only succeeded with seven as the Bantams broke

so many eggs : the parents brought up six, but three died. I

have only three cocks, the rest being hens. The two hens laid

about 60 eggs.



(A). November 12 th.



