Correspoiidence, Notes, etc.



I 4 I



specimens in a glass case. Yet the more I think over his article the more I

feel that most of his troubles he brought down upon himself by errors in

this direction.


Some of Mr. Wiener’s experiences seem strange, pointing almost to

neglect. As I well know, private individuals have other things to attend to,

and cannot bestow upon their pets as much time and attention as they could

wish. But birds allowed to starve because others eat up their food! Is it

usual to dole out to each bird in an aviary its portion of food by weight or

measure as in a beseiged city—just so much and no more ? And is it abso¬

lutely necessary to place all the food in one spot ? I place the food in many

parts or aviary and birdroom so that every bird may have abundance; and

if there should be a timid bird or a shy feeder, its haunts are located and

needs supplied so that it cannot help finding food. If plenty of simple food

be supplied, there will not be any overeating. Birds requiring exceptional

food and exceptional treatment should not be kept in a general aviary. Of

course there will always be a scramble for special delicacies—which as a rule

the birds are better without.


To liberate a new or a weak bird into a large aviary without mtroduction

is to court disaster. Such a bird should be placed in a suitable house inside

the aviary, or in a cage, and left for one or for many days according to cir¬

cumstances, until it is familiar with its surroundings, and until it knows the

other birds and the other birds know it; and when its door is left open (no

handling, if you please) the new comer is at home, and there is neither

bullying nor starvation. Such cases as those mentioned by Mr. Wiener need

not and should not occur.


Nor yet is it necessary that mice should increase to hundreds if not

thousands. This is as bad as the Egyptian mothers who allow the flies to

eat out the eyes of their babes and cry Kismit! Mice are an abomination,

but their numbers can be kept in check; and in a specially constructed

aviary both rats and mice may be kept out altogether. As may be seen by

reference to almost any number of our Magazine, birds can be successfully

bred in aviaries in spite of rats and mice. And do mice, and even rats,

never invade cages ? At the Zoo., moreover, there is a regular staff of men,

many of them trained men, whose special duty it is to look after the birds;

very different is the case of the private individual who is often otherwise

much occupied.


Birds in cages not infrequently require extra care and food during the

moult—but not as a rule in the large aviary, which as a matter of course

should have proper shelters and quiet corners into which they can retire

not only during the moult but at any time, especially at night. My birds’

moult gives me no concern ; they get through the moult without help for

they need none.


Unless the aviary be unreasonably overstocked, especially if it be

large, trees and shrubs need not die either from dirt or mice. It is the



