204 Miss Emily Brampton,


the proper seasons: which goes a long way to prove health and

condition.


One of my Reeves has nested these last three summers ;

hollowing out a cup-shaped depression in a tuft of grass, much as

a Dunlin does. She has not always been fortunate in her choice

of site, and last year her eggs were broken (we suspected the

Stonecurlews). But in 1901 a young bird was hatched, though it

did not leave the nest. This was probably owing to the aviary

being rather overstocked. Each time the little bird left her

eggs or returned to them, she was attended by an interested

party of her companions, and incubation was carried on under

great difficulties.


Reeves and Redshanks do not require much cover for

their nests. If the grass is allowed to grow in patches six or

eight inches high, that is quite enough. The rest of the lawn is

better kept mown close.



HOW NOT TO BREED REDRUMPS.


By Emily Brampton.


We have read in the Magazine many interesting accounts

of the successful rearing of various foreign birds, but we do not

often see accounts of the other side of the picture.


Rearing birds has been called '* The triumph of hope over

experience,” and sometimes I am inclined to think that other

members get all the experience, while little more than the hope

falls to my share. Of that I have always an unlimited quantity.


Being fired with the ambition to rear some young Redrumps,

I purchased a beautiful pair of these birds two years ago, and

turned them into my Cockatiels’ aviary. The new arrivals were

certainly young and skittish, and they soon made it evident that

they did not intend to be dull themselves, or to let me be so.


There were two pairs of Cockatiels in the aviary, and no

sooner did these unlucky birds decide on a nest-box and get

comfortably settled in, than the Redrumps came down like

wolves on the fold, evicting the rightful tenants, and taking



