PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES 71 



on the other, and I have separated the Bolle and put 

 him with the other laurel. I keep all the pigeons indoors 

 in a temperature of from 50 65, and so far they have 

 done well. I may say the same of all the houbaras. 



" I think that the Teydean chaffinches (F. teydea] are 

 very hardy, but I do not expose them to the open air 

 in this fearful weather. My Madeira blackcaps are in 

 full song, and the trumpeters * are all well. My wife's 

 pet bullfinch was constantly bullied by his mate till a 

 merciful Providence removed her. I then gave him 

 a male F. teydea for company, and they have become 

 fast friends and both as tame as birds can be. 



" This severe weather has driven no end of wildfowl 

 in upon our eastern and southern coasts, but I hear of 

 very few varieties. Some great bags of woodcocks have 

 been made in Ireland ; here we have nothing really 

 uncommon.' 



i 



"April 2oth, 1891. 



"A bittern, one of four, in a sort of shed cage in 

 our courtyard here, visible to frequent passers at all hours 

 of the day, has twisted some straw into the semblance of 

 a nest, and laid an egg, upon which she sits steadily, and 

 allows herself to be stroked with perfect equanimity. 

 She is one of two procured in 1889, and has apparently 

 paired with a young bird of 1890, as her original com- 



1 To E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. 



* The Trumpeter Bullfinch (Erythrospiza githaginea). 



