a small Aviary in the Hills in India. 367


even then the exceptions are most marked, but difficult to get,

and when got they can hardly be spared away from oneself.


I will try to give a general idea of the conditions of bird

keeping up here, and it must be understood that advantages and

disadvantages are looked at purely from the avicultural point of

view. Take the worst first. Undoubtedly the frequent absences

are the worst.


Next (now happily a thing of the past) comes the still

more frequent change of house. A word of explanation is

required here. All the houses here are the actual property of

officers, and as there are more officers than houses and no room

to build more, it means that unfortunates that have no houses

have to keep moving on as houses are vacant through officers

being away, furlough, &c. It is very annoying, as one may have

to move every three months or so. However, I am now a lucky

householder.


Being some distance off the rails has its drawbacks con¬

nected with supplies. Fruit, except at certain short seasons is

difficult to get except at (to me) prohibitive rates. Insects are

not procurable in winter, but this might be got over by drying

insects in the summer. But the best remedy for both of these

drawbacks is to keep only seedeaters, as the keeper in the

winter (when we are nearly always away) affects this question

really more than the difficulty of supply.


Then there is the difficulty of getting the birds one

wants. This remark generally raises the suggestion of Indian

birds, but would any one kindly suggest nice Indian birds that

would suit me ? I am not keen on Buntings, True Finches (?),

&c., as my special hobby is Grassfiuches, Waxbills, and the

smaller Parrakeets. Munias are not over interesting, the Red

Avadavat I have, the Green and Pintail Nonpareil I have been

trying to get for some time past. What remain ? In my opinion

the nice Indian birds are non-seedeaters, and some of these are

very very nice. I have reared a good many sorts from the nest,

but I do not care for letting them go every autumn, handi¬

capped when they will shortly have a hard fight for a living.

Just now I would willingly swop a nest of Chestnut-bellied

Rock-Thrushes or Pied Bush-Chats, for two hen Cut-throats



