6



Sparrows are very handsome birds, and the Grey-headed species

decidedly not the least of these: its ruddy wings, tail and

back, show up strikingly against the nearly white under parts.

In the winter its beak becomes yellower, almost like that of our

Bramble-finch. In size, the Grey-headed Sparrow is about equal

to our Chaffinch.


SOME DIFFICULTIES OF THE AVICUITURIST.


By Charles D- Rothera, B.A.


Hon. Curator of the Nottingham Arboretum Aviary.


My experience, such as it is, has been gained from the

management of a garden aviary, and is therefore limited to such

birds as can endure the variations of a proverbially uncertain

climate. My objefit in promoting the aviary,-and undertaking

its management, was to add to the attractions of one of our public

gardens in Nottingham,—our Arboretum,— and I desired to

introduce to our people some of the various specimens, beautiful

in form and colour, which are imported from other countries and

yet are capable of acclimatization in confinement.


Our aviary is divided into three compartments, each having

a large flight par tty glazed and partly open to the sky, and a

sheltered house-place, with boarded and tiled roof, for retirement.


In one of these compartments I keep a collection of small

birds, mostly foreigners; there are Green and Grey Singing

Finches, various species of Waxbills, Silver-bills, Whydahs and

small Weavers, Mannikins, Ribbon Finches, Parson and Diamond

Finches &c., &c., with two or three species of British Tits.


In the large centre division we have Cockatiels, Rosellas,

Budgerigars, three species of Dove Birds, Cardinals, a Virginian

Cardinal, Japanese Robins, Blue Robins, a Cross-bill, Turtle

Doves, a Military Starling, Californian and Egyptian Quails,

Golden Pheasants, and a Blue-and-yellow Macaw on a stand.


In the third compartment we have the British birds,—

Buntings, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Dinnets, Redpolls, Siskins,

Greater-Tits, Robins, Nuthatches, Hawfinches, &c., &c., with a

pair of Saffron-finches for a dash of colour, and a pair of Silver

Pheasants for show.


Adjoining this we have a small pool of water with an island

and shelving shore, covered in with wire, in which we keep

Curlews, Green and Grej^ Plovers, Ruff and Reeve, an Avocet,

a Godwit, a Knot, and a Dotterel, with Wagtails, Reed Buntings,

Kingfishers, a Shore Dark, a Snow Bunting, and a pair of Chinese

Mandarins.



