77



The Little Grebe or Dabcliick, too, I have found difficult to keep,

though they generally live longer than the Dipper.


I expect the absence of green weed in the water may afford some

explanation in the latter case, but hardly in the former.


Chas. L. Rothera.



AVIARY AT FOREST LODGE, B INFIELD.


Sir, — I send yon herewith an account of my aviary. — It is 33 feet

long, 23 feet wide, and 9 feet high, divided down the centre by small wire

netting. The wooden frame stands on a low brick wall about 2 feet high.


At the end of the aviary is a close-boarded room, fitted up with

perches and nests of all descriptions, to which the birds always have access.

This part is roofed with corrugated iron, and the remainder of the aviary

with wire netting. One whole length of the aviary to the East is built up

with brickwork. It gets plenty of sun, and is partially shaded in the

summer by oak-trees.


One half of the aviary is reserved for different kinds of Parrakeets ;

and the other half for various other birds. Amongst the Parrakeets I may

mention a King and Queen, Pennants, Crimson-wings and Red-rumps : the

two latter species bred last season (1901), and I now have four fine young

Crimson-wings and two young Red-rumps.


Amongst the birds in the other compartment I have Green-winged,

and Australian Crested Pigeons, a Cardinal, Virginian Nightingale, and

Japanese Robins; Grey, and White Java Sparrows; Java, Senegal, and

Zebra Doves; Egyptian Crested Quails; Bohemian Waxwings, Zebra

Finches, Ribbon Finches, and Red-billed Weavers,—the last three named

bred last season (1901). All the birds are in good health, and they do not

seem to feel the cold, although during the severe weather the water in

their drinking fountain is frozen every morning.* S. E. Mors HEAD.



BIRDS IN LIVING ROOMS.


Sir, —It is so seldom that we have papers on the keeping of foreign

birds in “ordinary living rooms,” and as all members are requested to write

something for the Magazine, I thought my experience might prove of



* Lady Morsliead kindly sent us a photograph of the aviary above described, which

we much regret being unable to reproduce, partly because the plates for the year have

mostly been already arranged for, and also on account of the fact that the funds of the

Society are limited, and the Committee cannot afford to give as many illustrations as they

would like. We quite hope to be able ere long, as our membership increases, to publish at

least one plate (either coloured or black and white) in each number of the Magazine : but

illustrations are, unfortunately, expensive luxuries, and, with the Society’s present income,

we are hardly justified in doing so.


It is most desirable that the Magazine should be illustrated each month, as we

believe the illustrations are highly appreciated by our members ; we hope, therefore, that

each member will do his or her best to increase the membership of the Society by making

the Magazine better known to bird-lovers, and, by thus increasing the funds, enable the

Committee to afford more illustrations.—Kn.



