THE



Hvtcultural YIfea$a3me,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICULTURAL SOCIETY.



NO. 2.



DECEMBER, 1894-



NOTE BY THE SECRETARY.


I have received a large amount of correspondence (some of great

interest) which it is impossible to insert owing to want of space, and I

must ask those contributors who are left out in the cold, to accept this

explanation. As our numbers increase, we shall have more funds available,

and shall be able to have a larger Magazine.


Air. Sergeant has very kindly sent me a charming design for the

cover of our Magazine, but the Treasurer tells me he has not sufficient

funds in hand to make use of it at present. The cost of the block would

be 16s. od. Will any of our wealthier friends come to our assistance ?


C. S. Simpson.



SUGGESTIONS FOR AN OUTDOOR AVIARY.


By John Sergeant.


The first thing to be considered in starting an Outdoor Aviary is a

suitable situation for it. The most favourable situation is facing South or

South-East, as in this position you get a maximum of sun during all months

of the year, which is a most important consideration ; and it is needless to

say it must be well protected from the North.


If a portion of a garden, containing established shrubs and trees, can

be enclosed, so much the better, and if there be a running stream that can

be made to flow through a part of the aviary, it will be an ideal site. As

I write I have in my mind’s eye an aviary where a running stream has been

utilized, and I cannot imagine anything prettier. If a corner of the garden

be enclosed, much expense will be saved, because the walls, if high

enough, can form one end and one side, but if the whole of one end

of an oblong garden can be devoted to the aviary, then only one side

and the top will require to be built, as the walls will make two ends and

the other side, thus saving a considerable amount of labour and expense.

The higher the surrounding walls, the more protected the aviary will

naturally be, and the height of the aviary should be regulated by the height

of the walls, which, if not high enough, should be raised to at least eight

feet, as there is nothing more undesirable than to have the outer aviary

exposed to the elements on all sides.


As the question of size depends so much upon the space available,

and the funds at disposal, it can hardly be touched upon here, beyond

saying that it is best to have the aviary made as large as possible, for the

larger it is the more comfort the birds will have, and the more likelihood

there will be of their breeding in captivity.


The situation decided upon, and the size determined, the question of

the house in which to keep the food, and in which the birds can roost in severe

weather, presents itself. This should be as large as the size of the outer

ayiary will allow, and should occupy the whole length of the sunniest end

of the space decided upon. The house, or inner aviary, can be constructed

of either brick or wood. I have one of each, and cannot say which is the



