245



Correspondence , Notes , etc.



mice will find other places for making new holes. I found that only floors

of the hardest cement or of tiles will be proof against mouse holes. Traps

are of very little use when there is so much, and such a variety of, food

about as there is in an aviary.


The idea of Sparrow-Hawks hunting for mice by moonlight seems

quite picturesque until we think of the poor Weaver-birds in the adjoining

cage, who must have spent terrible nights, when they were separated from

these mortal combats only by a wire partition.


The use of terriers I have tried many years ago, but not without

danger. I had a very small wiry-haired female terrier of extraordinary

intelligence and docility. The birds did not mind her in the least, and I

would have bet anything that she would never touch a bird. She used to

scent any stray mouse in a pot in which was planted a shrub, and then a

can of water soon drove out the drenched intruder, who was easily killed iu

that state. All went well until one day I was catching the first brood of

Parrot-finches ever reared in captivity, and of which I was very proud.

The opportunity seemed good to let doggie scent around before the parent

Parrot-finches began to nest again, when, during a moment’s absence my

reliable terrier killed my treasured young birds. The accident was quite

inexplicable until the day after when the terrier gave birth to a solitar3 r

puppy which explained the occurrence and saved the poor terrier from

being shot, as had been decided upon.


An account of this mishap was published by the late Dr. Karl Russ

in the 1S79 edition of his book on exotic finches [Die Prachtfinken).


It would appear to me that to let dogs dig up mice from the roots of

plants would not fail to be pernicious to the plants.


If mice are prevented from overrunning plants in an aviary from

below, they will not fail to climb up woodwork or wires and get at the

plants from above, iu trying to do which I have seen them make surprising

leaps.


Frequent judicious and scientific spraying has overcome the difficulty

of the leaves of plants becoming covered with dust in the New York bird-

house. How this is done so effectually with plants reaching the roof of a

house 36 feet high, and accomplished without flooding the cages, would be

interesting to hear in detail.


To cover the panes of a glass roof with a film of white paint in sum¬

mer, and thereby somewhat reduce the extreme effect of the midsummer

sun’s rays, is a very ancient device. It always seemed to me a rather crude

makeshift, and that modern architects should be able to devise something

better. A combination of sunblinds and Louvre ventilators can keep the

glass much cooler.


At horticultural shows I have seen, of late years, many sorts of

excellent blinds which shade the glass without seusiblj^ diminishing the

light, and these are much more effective than covering panes of glass with

paint liable to be washed off by a couple of thunderstorms.



