Aviary and Nesting Notes.



2S1



whole base with small mesh wire, burying it six inches in the

ground as protection from mice, rats, etc. ; covered some divisions

entirely with half-inch wire for small birds and planted them

with evergreen shrubs and ivy on the supports. Greenery is no

use for Parrakeets as they soon destroy it, but I have a pair of

Many-Coloured who do not do so. Strong springs on all doors,

so that they cannot be left open, is a good safeguard. There is

no attempt at heating, and many Parrakeets and small birds

generally considered delicate have survived many winters in

this place.


This year, my pair of Many-Coloured — who last year reared

four in one nest to maturity, began to think of nesting earl)'- in

February. The hen disappeared into her log nest the first week

in March, and in due time the voices of young were heard, and

so strong were they in two or three weeks time, that I allowed

curiosity to get the better of prudence, and took down the nest

to see when I thought the old birds were not looking that way.

There were four strong young ones and, horrible to relate, they

were never fed again. Last year I had done the same thing

without any tragic result, but I suppose the nestlings were older.

I have found a dead one in a nest poisoning the others, and this

is my excuse to myself, but it is certainly wiser not to look.


I am now anxiously awaiting the appearance of a nest-full

of young hybrids between a Platycercus flaveolus lieu and a Yellow-

naped or Port Lincoln cock. This morning (15th July) my man

tells me he is sure they have been hatched more than two months,

so I have taken down the log nest and looked in ; there are three

strong, young birds, well-fledged and looking very bright in

colour with bright red frontal bands. Yesterday, I saw one

appear, head and shoulders at the nest hole, several times, and

I expect they will be fully out this or next day.


I have not many other successes to record. A pair of

Virginian Cardinals hatched out two, earl}' in March, in a nest

made of coarse bents and lined with finer grass, in a small fir

tree. The nestlings came out of the nest in less than a week,

and squatted about near it, incessantly crying for food, which

both parents were most assiduous in supplying. They had an

unlimited supply of mealworms, beetles, and fresh ants’ eggs.



