My Indian Aviary.



9i



don’t touch ” is the Sahib’s request. Much of the rubbish there

is the result of much labour, logs and odd bits of wood for nest-

boxes, experimental cages and traps, &c. The chair is com¬

fortable enough to laze in, but solid enough to sit on while doing-

carpentry (?) odds and ends, cages, nest-boxes, &c. A stout

empty box gives me a useful carpenters’ bench. A small

moveable table, close at hand here for books, writing material,

&c., completes the watching portion of the aviary, to my mind

almost the most important part, indirectly at any rate. The bow-

window in the drawing-room is useful in cold weather orto watch

new or shy birds.


Seed in bulk, chiefly millet, is stored against the wall.

The table by the old aviary has a shelf underneath, and is most

useful for putting out things to be cleaned and for the servants to

leave eggs, vegetable, &c., for insect food which I mix. A tin for

rubbish to be thrown away is by the table, also two large water

cans to be kept filled. The bliisti cleans and refills the water

dishes every morning, and the tap is just along the walk past the

walnut tree, but I find wateris often wanted for odd jobs, hence

the filled cans.


The old aviary I have already described, so I think I have

gone all over the ground outside the aviaries proper; “live food ”

breeding may be touched on later, also vermin.


The ground under the covered portion is stone flagged.

The walls are stone masonry ijft. thick. The roof is of 1 in.

pine planks, covered with iron sheets, painted. Gutters carry off

the rain and snow water. Verandah posts are of wood (painted)

set in stone. Uprights in the flight are of wood about qin.by 3m.

let into the ground ; they are tarred below and painted above

ground. Similar uprights are fixed against the walls about 4ft.

apart. I have fastened cross pieces on these where required, and

have found them most useful for fixing up branches, nest-boxes,

&c. I have seen aviaries condemned by authorities as being too

woody. Of course iron looks nice and is more permanent, but

wood is much more “ amenable” for those who do odd jobs about

the aviary themselves, and mite is not much to be feared in

aviaries.


All wire work is £in. mesh galvanised wire netting. Glass



