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Dr. J. G. Mylan,



way and on the whole front of the wooden house at its upper half, such an

aviary would be efficiently lighted. Glass panels could also be let into the

outer door.


The inside of house portion should be well provided with shelves.

One shelf, which should be from 12 to 14 inches wide, to run the whole

length of the front of the building immediately under the glazed portion,

this being to put seed hoppers, etc., on; other shelves, about six inches

wide, being made to go round the house; and on these nest boxes could be

placed and in case any of the young birds fell out of the nests, they would

thus be prevented from falling upon the floor and injuring themselves.

The shelves should be made of pine and resting on metal brackets, so that

they can be taken off once a week and thoroughly cleaned.


The perches should be plentiful and as near an imitation or

branches and twigs as possible and of different sizes to suit the various

sized birds in the aviary ; pea sticks and branches of fir trees answer well

for such purpose.


Water for drinking ought to be kept in glass fountains (the lecturer

favouring “Jones’ Hygienic Fountain,” and “ Rudd’s Globe Fountain” with

china tray and stand). It is necessary that all drinking vessels should be of

glass or porcelain, as if metal receptacles be used the water is liable to

become impure, and if medicines are mixed in such vessels the little pets

might easily get poisoned. Suitable baths should be provided. Self-feeding

hoppers of metal are the best and they should have several divisions, so

that the various seeds can be kept seperate; it is strongly advisable to have

a rack or two to contain cuttle fish bone, also to give a good supply of sea

and, crushed egg shells, crushed mortar; a few lumps of rock salt should

also be provided as this is a great aid to digestion for the birds.


Nest boxes, if of wood, should be made of pine, but in all cases these

should be ventilated at the bottom. In the case of foreign birds, rush

nests, cocoanut husks, nests shaped like logs of wood, etc., should be hung

to meet their little fancies.


The bottom of the house portion of aviary to be thickly covered with

pine wood sawdust; which is both cheap and antiseptic, and this should be

raked over every day and changed at least once every fortnight.


Now, we come to the other half of the aviary, namely the flight;

this portion should be covered with galvanized wire of \ inch mesh, and a

foot or more in height from the bottom should be boarded upon the inside

to prevent vermin, etc., entering. A woodeu shutter shelf (opening out¬

wards) ought to be fixed in the front portion of the house so as to enable

the birds to go into the flight when allowed. The flight floor to be covered

with coarse gravel, which should be raked over regularly. Round the

inside of the flight there could be placed a boxed-in bit of earth, and on

this could be sown grass seed, chickweed, groundsel, etc., for the use of

the birds ; also you can place in pots, Box, Cypress, Spruce, Firs and



