Some Experiences.



175



separable companions, and it was diverting in the extreme to watch

the officious attentions of the self-appointed guardian, his extrava¬

gant endearments (in approved love-bird fashion), his attempts to

feed his protege (which the latter seemed scarcely to understand)

and his jealous scoldings, dealt out indiscriminately to any inquisitive

watchers who came too near. But the prettiest of these “ moving

pictures ” was reserved until evening. There was a long perch

which ended in a sunny corner, formed by the junction of the roof

with two sides of the aviary. This corner was much in request as a

dormitory, but Budgy would allow none but his favourite to occupy

it. He would gently push his companion along the perch, with

much chattering (as is the manner of his kind) until the desired spot

had been reached, he would then raise his nearest wing and spread

it out until it completely covered the half-clad little sufferer, and so

they would sleep night after night. Truly a charming idyll of bird-

life at its best and sweetest !


It was in this aviary that a cock Canary (adult when pur¬

chased) lived happily for twelve years and died of sheer old age.


My present aviary is much on the lines of the preceding one,

and has so far yielded nothing worthy of record, except perhaps the

circumstance of a Yellow Budgerigar hen mating with a Green cock,

the young (two only) showing no traces of variation, being absolutely

true to the type. A clear yellow Norwich hen Canary also mated

with a dark variegated cock ; the sole young bird reared being a

replica of his father. These results are w r hat might be expected, the

influence of the type being stronger in the first generation at least

than that of the variety. (I take it that the heavily-marked dark

Canary is nearer to the original wild progenitor than the clear yellow,

obviously artificial variety.)


In concluding these disjointed memoranda, I wish to ask

some member or members of the Society to kindly publish a list or

lists of the proved hardiest seed-eating birds (non-British), such as

can be relied on to thrive in a sheltered outdoor aviary without

artificial heat. I should place in the first rank for hardiness the

following—Budgerigars, Madagascar Love Birds, Canaries, Saffron

Finches, Java Sparrows (both Grey and White) and Weavers (Red¬

billed and Russ’s). Fairly hardy :—Passerine (Blue-winged), Parra-



