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Dr. L. Lovell-Keays,



doubtedly a “ thick-head,” and after a day’s work I have come home

and found the birds out long after it had turned bitterly cold. Still

the losses here, considering' the species, were only normal, I think,

when one considers my birds are not—like some people’s—immortal.


Aviary IY. Another excellent aviary; well sheltered, well

drained, and very sunny. The shelter is as well-lighted as a green¬

house, wooden-built on brick foundations. In many respects almost

superior to Aviary III., but, owing to the amount of glass in the

shelter, heat is required to maintain anything approaching a com¬

fortable temperature throughout the winter. The birds here are,

many of them, delicate, and include Tire Finches, Cordon Bleus,

Gouldians, Green Avadavats, Red Avadavats, Lavender Finches,

Grey, Zebra, and Orange-cheeked Waxbills, Alario Finches, Zebra

Finches, and an odd bird or two. Early in the winter I lost two

out of eight Gouldians, just at the time I began to shut up the birds

at night, also a hen Aurora Finch, who was a “Blower.” These

and a couple of Waxbills (Grey and Orange-breasted) made up the

total of my losses here. I need hardly say that the birds were

allowed to fly in and out during really fine weather, but we were

more particular than we were with Aviary No. III.


Aviary No. Y. A completely shut-in winter aviary, contain¬

ing Sugar Birds (3), Yiolet Tanagers (2), Parrot Finches (4), Zos-

terops (2), Blue-breasted Waxbills (2), Flooded Siskins (4), Yiolet-

eared Waxbills (2), Black-cheeked Waxbills (3), Rainbow and Non¬

pareil Buntings (l each), Chinese Painted Quail (2), Columbian

Siskin (2), Dufresnes and Sydney Waxbills (1 each), and Zos-

terops (2).


I can truthfully say that the only bird that died that was

healthy when put into the aviary was a cock Hooded Siskin. It

was the bird that attracted so much attention at the L.C.B.A. Show 7

at Westminster. It never seemed fit after the Show, and I had

knocked off Inga seed, being assured it was bad for birds. I lost

other birds in this aviary, but then birds were caught up in other

aviaries and put into this one because they were ill. However, I

will mention the losses, although they occurred within a day or two

of being put into this aviary. They were a Blue-breasted Waxbill

with deformed mandible, a cock Violet Tanager with an abscess on



