xiv. - Introditctory Note. 



too dense or not only will they be difficult to see. but will tend 

 to keep too wild. 



There are two principal forms of Aviaries, viz. : the Enclo- 

 sure and the Covered-in Aviary. There is also an ideal aviary 

 which partakes of the nature of both. This would have its build- 

 ing, and in addition, a large flying aviary, of anything from, sa\', 

 twenty yards to a quarter-of-an-acre in which trees and shrubs 

 were entirely covered in b}' wire netting. But as such a place is 

 out of the question for most of us, we will here confine ourselves 

 to considering the two referred to above. 



The Enclosure. This is designed for pinioned birds of 

 various species ; chiefly for birds that spend much of their time 

 upon the ground ; for wading birds — herons, cranes, flamingoes, 

 for *' waders " proper, bustards, pheasants, partridges, tragopans, 

 etc. As much ground as can be spared is enclosed in a wall of 

 wire netting some eight or nine feet high. The netting is 

 sunk in the ground to prevent the entry of rats, is of small 

 mesh to stop stoats and, if possible, weasels (the male weasel is 

 hard to stop) and has the top flanged out for about a foot or 

 fourteen inches to stop cats and foxes. It is sown with light 

 grasses that will not grow rank or keep wet {^Festuca ovina v. 

 tenuifolia is the best) and with an\' seed bearing plants likely to 

 be useful. Bushes are also planted in it for covert. If water 

 can also be enclosed so much the better, the ideal thing is, of 

 course, a little stream. Dusting places are made in it, protected, 

 if possible, from the rain. Mounds are built up because they 

 amuse the birds : many birds are fond of running up and down a 

 mound or bank, and they like to stand ou the top and sun them- 

 selves there at dawn. Bustards delight in running up banks and 

 then opening their wings and running down again, flamingoes 

 will get on to a bank and stay there with outstretched wings when 

 the wind blows ; partridges and pheasants love stretching and 

 dusting in a bank. There should also be a good area of gravel 

 on which birds may stand on wet days and from which they then 

 pick up grit. Care is needed to protect food vessels in an 

 enclosure from rain and from sparrows; the first is easily done 

 with alidlessbox stood o:- its side, the second will tax all the 

 keeper's ingenuity. There is no guide to the size of such an 



