358



Dr. L. Lovell-Keays,



THE BREEDING OF BEARDED TITS.


Panurus biarmicus.


By Dr. L. Lovell-Keays.


My reedlings’ aviary is fast becoming as famous as the

Traitors’ Gate or the stair beneath which the murdered princes are

supposed to repose. There is really nothing very wonderful about

it. The measurements are roughly 22 feet hy 15 feet and the

height is 8 feet. In this latter respect uniform with practically

the entire series. Attached to the flight are three shelters ; two of

which are 4i feet by 8 feet and the third 6 feet by 8 feet. These

face due south. I am drawing a rough plan of the aviary, as pro¬

bably the way it was planted and arranged contributed very largely

to my success, or shall I say, the little birds’ success. It will be

noticed that the flight is very thickly planted with evergreens,

chiefly retinosporas, honeysuckles, and last, but not least, large

clumps of variegated ribbon grass and the ordinary reeds found in

overgrown ponds. The latter I got from a distance (7 miles) and

brought a couple of pailfuls of the original mud and water. When

planted they formed a conspicuous bank. I don’t believe these

reeds had the least to do with the birds’ success. As to feeding

the young on the flowering heads I believe that to be quite ridiculous.

They are not in bloom at the time. My water-course, too, dried up

about mid-June owing to the drought. But I was anxious to get a

natural nest, and to some extent I was rewarded, for the bearded tits

built a wonderful nest in the clump of ribbon grass, which I hope to

describe presently. For a small aviary I have never seen a more

natural one, nor more dense as regards cover; and the place is

teeming with insects the whole summer.


The shelters are built entirely of match-boarding, two layers

with felt between. Whitewashed inside and with a very ample

supply of windows. The successful nest was situated in the corner

of the shelter marked with a X The entrance to this shelter was

quite small, about 18 ins. square and quite high up. This prevented

the young birds getting out too soon, for which I was extremely

thankful. This shelter was fitted with what the Sussex folk call pea-

boughs, rush nests and one or two small square travelling cages. All

the nesting receptacles were placed high up against the roof and as



