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THE GREEN AVADAVAT.


Sir, — I am this year testing the hardiness of several species that I

have not previously tried in an open air aviary during the winter. Of these

I have, perhaps, been most interested in the Green Avadavat, in view of the

very different opinions held on the point by high authorities. As far as the

experiment has yet gone, the opinion expressed by Dr. Butler, in his

"Foreign Finches in Captivity," is fully confirmed. We have already had

a good deal of cold weather here, and several nights of sharp frost ; not

only have these birds not suffered, but one morning with the thermometer

showing ten degrees of frost, I noticed them in the open flight of their

aviarj^ flying briskly about and evidently rather enjoying the bitter air

than otherwise. Of course this, like nay other aviaries, has a house for the

birds to retire to at night or when they desire shelter. A hen Blue Gros-

beak, in an adjoining aviary, seems also quite indifferent to frost. I fancy

that farther experiment will prove many birds, usually considered delicate,

ablp to withstand as much frost as we usually experience in this country ;

but, of course, the aviary should be iu a position as far as possible sheltered

from cold winds, and communicate with a house or shed to give shelter

from wet. The principle danger is, probably, the liability of hens to

become egg-bound during the cold months. It would certainly be ad-

visable to separate the sexes during the winter.


R. A. Todd.



BREEDING RESULTS FOR 1897.


Sir, — I have been looking forward to seeing reports of the breedino-

results of members of the Society for 1S97. My own aviaries are rather too

crowded to admit of great results in this branch of aviculture. I have,

however, not been altogether unsuccessful.


Zebra Finches. — Fourteen reared, and as many or more not reared. I

cannot fathom the reason why so many are thrown out of the nest by the

parents before they are fledged, unless it is that in a confined space the

different pairs interfere too much with each other's proceedings. I give

hardly any mealworms in the summer, but a fair supply of egg-food and

ants' eggs, and plenty of green food and flowering grass. I am also ex-

tremely careful never to approach the neighbourhood of the nests. The

first brood was hatched during the' sharp spell of frost in January, when

the thermometer fell on one night to 17° F. The nest was built in thick

ivy in the open flight of the aviary ; two birds were hatched, but only one

was reared.


Ribbon Finches. — Five reared, and in this case also several not reared.

It is curious that I have only bred one hen in the last three years. These

birds I also keep in an outdoor aviary.


Bengalese. — One reared and one not reared. Whatever they may do

if kept in separate pairs in cages, these birds will certainly not breed freely

in an aviary. Their habit of packing together in the same nest is not con-

ducive to the rearing of young.


Long-tailed Finches. — Three reared. The young birds, nearly four

months old, are now hardly distinguishable from their parents.


Hybrid between Bronze Mannikin and Rufous-backed Mannikin. —

Five reared. These are very similar to the latter (the male parent), but are

generally duller in colour, with the white and black marking on the wings



