On Mr. C. Castle-Sloane’s Aviary. 167


bird lattice, straight wired), whilst at the back, the whole way

■along, dividing the houses from the passage, the same wirework is

used, All the doors are opposite to one another, and no wooden

•or brick partitions are used. The birds can therefore see anyone

who enters the aviary, and are not frightened as they would be

af opaque partitions had been used.


A small greenhouse is first entered before the six feet

passage can be reached, this being divided from the aviary by a

door which prevents any stray bird escaping.


A 2ft. 6in. shelf runs along the length of the brick wall at

the back for the cage birds, and underneath this are kept the

various bins for storing the seed, etc. At the far end of the aviary

is the rain-water tank above referred to, which supplies the

fountains ; and from a tap one can obtain water for the other

birds. The tank is placed inside to keep the water from

freezing and to take the chill off. The aviary is heated by a stove,

the pipe of which runs straight up causing a splendid draught;

and the joints being air-tight, fumes are prevented from escaping,

and the aviary is kept in a nice temperature during the frost.


I have to thank Dr. Butler and Mr. Wiener for their

valuable suggestions as to the design of this aviary, which I

liave taken full advantage of.


Among my collection of Doves I have Red Mountain,

Wine, Rufous,White-fronted (which have bred), Smith’s, Spotted,

Pigmy, Geoffroy’s, Scaly, etc.


I am in hopes that my Weavers will turn out successful.

In another compartment I have a collection of British birds, and

•on the shelf I keep my special pets such as a Malabar Green

Fruit Sucker (which feeds from your hand), Yellow-winged

Sugar-bird, Scarlet Tanager, etc.


To make the aviary more attractive to bird and man it is

-surrounded with rose-beds and other bright flowers. The air is

very fragrant, owing to a belt of pine trees which in the

summer give a partial screen to the birds and in the winter

keep off the east wind. The aviary faces South.



