on foreign Finches and Waxbills.



97



St. Helena Waxbills. Since I had them I have put them in a small

aviary made from a part of a conservatory, size about 7 ft. 6 in. high,

5 ft. back to front by 5 ft. wide. The end and back are brickwork,

the front wood 3 ft. high and glass, and roof glass, with a wire¬

netting front on the inside of the conservatory and a tiled floor.

The position faces north ; access, from conservatory to drawing-room

(where mostly I have a fire every evening), is by casement doors.


The birds have nesting-boxes, which I think they use at

night. Since I had the birds I found one cock Cordon Bleu on

the aviary floor unable to fly. I took it out, “ warmed ” it up, and

in a day or two it was all right again. This was about six weeks

ago, and the bird is still well. I found recently the Fire-Finch and

St. Helena Waxbill both dead on the aviary floor. There are now

in the aviary 3 cocks and 1 hen Cordon Bleus, 1 Orange-breasted

and 1 Common Waxbill (both cocks), 1 hen and 1 cock Zebra, 1 cock

Longtail, 1 cock Fawn and White Bengalese. I do not think the

birds I found dead were killed, as they all seem fairly friendly

together.


I should like an opinion as to the probability of my keeping

particnlarh/ the Cordon Bleus and Waxbills in this aviary during

the winter.


I could heat the place during the severest weather by an

electric radiator, but owing to fuel restrictions could not do

anything more.


I could keep the Cordon Bleus and Waxbills in a cage indoors

in a room where fires would mostly be, but I do not wish to do

this unless it is absolutely necessary.


The Cordon Bleus are good birds, and I am desirous of keeping

them for breeding in the spring if possible.


I might add that this year is my first with any birds, and

I am\ery inexperienced. But I am extremely fond of my feathered

pets, and anxious to do the best I can for them.


I should have said, perhaps, that the food I give is millet

spray, Indian and white millet seed and canary seed, cuttle-fish

bone—crushed and in lump; ordinary sand and bird-sand are given,

I think, in sufficient quantities.


[Dr. Butler writes: “ If you had purchased your birds in



