CHAPTER III. 



THE IN-DOOR AVIARY. 



The In-door aviary, though intended for a similar purpose to that described in the last chapter, 

 is from the nature of things of a somewhat different description. Its occupants are, by force of 

 circumstances, not so robust and hardy as those more exposed, and require just so much the more 

 consideration as regards their comfort and well-being. We will suppose an empty room or small 

 conservatory to be devoted to the purpose. To begin with, it should have a warm aspect and 

 be well protected from draughts, and, if a conservatory or similar glass erection, must be well 

 shaded from the strong sunlight, avoiding as far as possible all extremes, remembering that under 

 a more pampered .system the birds will lead a more artificial existence and be more liable to 

 feel the injurious effects of external influences. The most important consideration of all is to 

 effect a thorough ventilation with a complete exclusion of draughts, which cause the deaths of 

 more Canaries than many people imagine. Too much attention, cannot be paid to this, and 

 our instructions on this point are most emphatic. A bird which can be acclimatised to alm.ost 

 any extent can be killed in twenty-four hours in a draughty room. 



Having selected a suitable room, proceed to furnish it by placing in it a number of " Christmas 

 trees" — small firs of various sizes — which, if obtained at a nursery, can be lifted in the 

 autumn, and will, if carefully raised and well potted, live the year through, by which time 

 they will be about done for ; as apart from the unfavourable circumstances in which they are 

 placed, so far from their making any growth, the birds will make sad havoc with them. In 

 selecting them, choose substantial plants with flat, spreading branches, and arrange them tastefully 

 on such stands as can be extemporised for the purpose, singly or in clumps, filling up corners — 

 arranging them, in fact, in any way and every way — in doing which there is scope for the exercise 

 of much taste. Avoid, however, placing them so that any part of the room cannot be got at 

 if desired ; for old birds as well as young are apt to flutter away into inaccessible corners, and 

 make no effort to release themselves from positions not dangerous in themselves, but from which 

 they seem to think escape hopeless. For instance, if a bird, wherE. frightened, should happen to 

 flutter about and scramble between, say, a box containing a tree and the wall, the chances are 

 that it would remain there and die without ever trying to get free again ; and this sort of 

 contingency must be guarded against as far as possible. These are simple matters, but the 

 result of experience shows them to be important. Nothing jars more unpleasantly on a sensitive 

 mind than to find that any creature under our care has suffered from circumstances which we might 

 have prevented by the exercise of a little forethought ; and one such death in the little household 

 is quite enough to leave behind it unpleasant memories which detract greatly from our pleasures. 



One would think that, to use a common expression, birds would "have more sense" than to 

 behave so foolishly ; but it is not exactly the want of what we call sense which induces such mis- 

 fortunes. The bird from some cause or other becomes frightened, or perhaps it leaves its nest before 

 it is able to take care of itself, and naturally betakes itself to the quietest corner it can find, where, 

 removed from observation, it remains till the little heart ceases to beat. The most unaccountable 



