88



Captain G. A. Perreau,



It is a pity that a female has not been brought over, for, if

I may judge by my own male, it is a species that would readily

breed in a good-sized, natural, thickly wooded garden aviary ,-

and the question, if still a question, as to the part taken by the

female in the calls of these birds in the Australian bush would

be set at rest.


My poor bird met with a sad coach accident, from the

effects of which he died on the 20th January, 1904, after having

been with me little more than a year and a half. If it had not

been for this accident, there is no reason why he should not have

been alive now, for, as I have already remarked, at any rate the

male is a good liver—but beware of a too generous application

of the Fresh Air treatment, for it is possible for British weather

to be too bracing even for the Coach-whip Bird !



MY INDIAN AVIARY.


By Captain G. A. Perreau.


In the AviculUiral Magazine , Vol. III., New Series, page

366, I gave an account of my small aviaries, and promised a

further account of my new aviaries which were just completed

at that time.


The accompanying plan and elevations will, I hope, explain

the general idea. Our house is square, facing south, with a

verandah all round it. Portions of the verandah have been con¬

verted into the rooms, dressing rooms, See. The ground falls

away to the South-East. The main Bakloh ridge runs North and

South on the West, near enough and high enough to give shelter

from storms without shutting off the evening sun. A spur runs

down close behind the aviary on the north side. The house

shelters the aviary on the East. So it can be seen that the posi-

tion is almost ideal in a place where storms and cold are more

to be feared than heat. The climate I have mentioned before,

but would like to add that the winter, cold as it is, is far more

favourable to aviculture than the English one; we are not often

long without sun.


The aviary was added by me to the house with the idea

that it could be turned into an office room when I leave. I expect



