99



“‘prayer should be complied with, and voted ^"ioo for the erection of the

“structure. The building consists of three separate sections, the centre

portion being 20 feet deep, 15 feet wide, 10 feet high to the eaves and 15

feet to the ridge; the side portions are not so high and have a hexagonal

front, each face being 5 feet long. Each section is provided with a

“ sheltered house-place with tiled roof, and part of the flight is also

“‘glazed, so as to afford the birds a retreat from cold rain and snow.” A

still larger aviary, for water birds, was subsequently added.


About 24 species of British Birds and about 33 species of Foreign

Birds are usually represented in these commodious aviaries, and the

Honorary Curator seems to have been very successful in keeping the birds

in good health. Even Cordon Bleus, St. Helena and Grey Waxbills, and a

Whitethroat, have survived the frosts of winter in the Nottingham Aviary.


Mr. Rothera’s description of the inmates of the Aviary is arranged

alphabetically — it is very readable and instructive, and, in the main,

exceedingly accurate; but his statement that Ribbon-finches “have no

song,” needs qualification.



CORRESPONDENCE.



“ HOMING ” BIRDS.


Sir, — May I supplement the experiences of ni3 T fellow - member.

Miss A. M. Wordsworth, in what we may call the “homing instinct” of

Bullfinches, by the relation of what happened at my place some twelve

mouths ago.


I had, at that time, a Bullfinch which was allowed to fly about the

house, and which had, for quite a year, enjoyed that privilege without

taking advantage of open windows to extend his knowledge of the world;

but on this occasion he did, and after flying around the neighbourhood

for about an hour, returned to the window from which he escaped.

Unfortunately, it had been closed in the meantime, and poor Bully,

stunning himself against the glass, fluttered helplessly to the ground;

where a neighbour's cat was in waiting, and snatching him up under our

very eyes, ran away to ruthlessly devour our little pet at its leisure.


This incident is the more interesting from the fact that the bird was

not hand-reared, but was adult when caught, and had been only caged

about 12 mouths previously.


Another incident, almost identical with the foregoing, only without

the tragic ending, happened a few weeks ago. On this occasion it was a

Robin. This, too, was an adult bird when caught, and had occupied the

cage from which he escaped, for 15 months. How he did escape, I do not

know, but he had got out somehow ; and as the cage was hung outside an

upper window, he was perfectly free to choose between freedom and

captivity. He evidently preferred the latter, because he entered the

sculler}^ either by the door or the window, and we found him, late at night,

roosting on the rail of a chair, from which we transferred him to his cage,

none the worse for his adventure.



Were such incidents more widely known, we should hear less twaddle

about the “ cruelty ” of caging birds.


- T. Marshall.



BREEDING PARROTS.


Sir, —I wonder if an}' of the Avicultural Society have ever succeeded

in breeding Grey Parrots.' I had two, which I believe to be a pair, at the

end of 1S92, and early in 1S93 I put them into an outdoor aviary, facing

nearly South. I had to take them in for one week in January, 1894, ami

there they remained till January, 1S95. Then they had to come indoors

for longer; I could not put them out till March 14th.


But I have been entirely unsuccessful as to breeding. The cock-bird

shows the greatest wish to pair; but the one I consider the hen, has never



