Aviaries. 245 



shelves one above the other, on which were placed the 

 seed and water-glasses, and boxes for nests. There 

 were double doors to this room ; I think one was of 

 wire and the other glass, so that the birds could be 

 seen in passing from room to room. The fires in each 

 of these sufficiently warmed this aviary in winter; 

 Canaries, Goldfinches, and Linnets only lived in it. 

 Very few young birds were reared in it, and breeding 

 in aviaries is always very doubtful. The idle birds 

 are apt to pull the nests of the industrious birds to 

 pieces, and to eat their eggs and peck the young ones. 

 Then there arise jealousies between the cocks and 

 hens, and a good deal of quarrelling and fighting go 

 on, so that it is by no means a happy family : the 

 only chance of success is by putting the several couples 

 in separate cages till they are ready to build, and then 

 turning them into the aviary, putting no single birds 

 in at the same time to interrupt their proceedings. 

 However, some of these couples may be faithless, and 

 the hens are apt to quarrel over the nesting-places, so 

 that it is not a plan to be recommended, and it would 

 be best to keep no hens in the aviary. Experience 

 proves that when there are no ladies to excite jealousies 

 amongst the gentlemen, matters are conducted much 

 more harmoniously; they might be safely admitted 

 during the winter, perhaps, but as early as February 

 they must be taken away. 



Canaries, Siskins, Goldfinches, Linnets, and Red- 



