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The Duchess of Wellington —



These compartments run alongside of, and open into, a large aviary

known as “St. Francis,” from a figure of the saint which stands in it, and

it is in this aviary that the event of the year took place. About half¬

way down the aviary are two ornamental china stands with pierced

sides about 2 feet high (see Plate), and inside one (marked in the

Plate with a cross) my Ornate Tanagers (Tanagra ornata) constructed

a neat cup-nest of dried grass and a few small twigs, and successfully

reared two broods of three each. We did not discover the nest until

the young were hatched, and cannot say if both birds shared in the

building and incubation. The young were reared on mealworms and

such insects as the parents could capture, now they feed on milk sop

and fruit; we have found that they much enjoy ripe elder berries, and,

of course, live insects are always welcome. The nest is close to the

door leading into the big aviary and everyone going in or out must pass

within a yard of the sitting bird ; there are more secluded places which

she might have used. She must have gone to nest in May, as it was

June when we found the young. Not content with having reared six

children, this indefatigable bird is sitting again. The three eggs are

rather large, very darkly and heavily splashed and freckled with

brown. She has used the same nest throughout and kept it perfectly

clean. The young resemble their parents except that their colour

is duller and they do not boast yellow in their wings. They appear

to feel cold, and when the nights became frosty we caught them up

and transferred them to the Orangery for the winter, together with

a beautiful pair of Golden-fronted Fruitsuckers which were in

St. Francis aviary with them all the summer. The old Tanagers and

a pair of Masked Doves, which have nearly fledged young in their

nest, will remain out for the present.


Behind is another aviary containing a pair of true Blue Budgerigars

and one of Blue-winged Lovebirds; next door a beautiful cock

Hardwicke’s and a White-cheeked Bulbul, both in exhibition plumage,

will spend the winter.


Next we come to the Great Aviary, which I think was mentioned

in the Magazine some time ago. It is a large and lofty wire structure,

with boarded shelters, naturally planted with apple and other trees

and bushes, and flowering plants. A shallow pool in the centre



