Aviary Experience in 1905 .



161



high, I only have Zebra-finches. These have produced only

seven or eight young during the year.


In the Magazine for last August I described the successful

breeding of one hybrid between Merula boulboul and Merida

menda in my larger garden aviary, and I promised to describe the

young bird after its moult. This event has not yet taken place,

but all the juvenile streaking has disappeared from the breast,

and the bill is becoming gradually more yellow. The colouring

now, at the end of November, is golden olive brown, the upper

surface slightly darker, more rufescent in some lights, more

olivaceous in others ; the wings are also darker with the exception

of an ill-defined patch, corresponding in general form with the

grey patch of M. boulboul , but of the same golden-brown as the

under surface of the body, the centre of the throat is rather

more huffish. From the absence of dark streaking on the

throat and breast, excepting a single dusky streak at each side

of the throat, and the somewhat slender bill, I should judge

this bird to be probably a cock ; but the colouring is certainly

peculiar.*


In February I purchased four young Cordon-Bleus, turning

them into my long covered aviary ; three of these promptly died,

the fourth is still living and vigorous ; in May I bought others,

which died. On the 25th of this month I purchased some

Australian Finches and turned them out (with a pair of Diamond

Doves, and a pair of Chinese Quails received the previous

December) into my double outdoor aviary (30 feet by 9 feet).

This aviary having been planted with privet and hawthorn and

provided with thick cover in the way of a thicket of branches at

one end and smaller stacks at the opposite end, I expected to

succeed in breeding satisfactorily this year. The following is

what happened :—


The Chinese Quails never nested at all, but I believe this

was the general experience of breeders in 1905. The Diamond

Doves hatched one young one in two successive nests, and

refused to feed it in each instance after it left the nest ; each

young one therefore died on the third day after it flew. The



* A young cock Blackbird which entered one of my aviaries on December 30th is

not yet in full colour.



