90 Dr. A. G. Butler,


were imported by Mr. Cross this summer, and I expect found

homes amongst our members, we may have some accounts of

other nestings in the Magazine in time to come.



THE VICISSITUDES OF BIRD-KEEPING. (AVIARY

EXPERIENCES.)


By A. G. Butler, Ph.D., etc.


To the average aviculturist I believe good and evil fortune

come in about equal proportions: if he is particularly fortunate

one year, the chances are that, in the following year, he will have

no luck whatever ; but I am sure of this, that the more outdoor

aviaries a man has, the better chance has he of continuous

success.


During the past year, although I have not bred many

birds, I consider that I have little cause for grumbling: it is true

that not a few nice birds have died in my aviaries ; but, on the

other hand, I have been unusually favoured with presents from

friends both outside and inside the Society.


In February, with the hope that I might breed some of the

Australian Grassfinches, I purchased three pairs of Munia flavi-

prymna, one pair of Poephila acaticauda, one pair P. mirabilis

(which died between the 2nd and 4th May) ; one pair Stictoptera

annulosa and a male BatJiilda riificaiida : not one of these has

bred, but the hen 5". annulosa disappeared about the 20th Sept.,

and reappeared shortly afterwards.


On March 6th my Green-winged Doves (Australian) built

a nest in a box in the outdoor aviary and the male began chasing

about the cock Bronzewing pigeon ; I therefore removed the

Bronzewings to an indoor aviary, but to no purpose, inasmuch as

the Ouzels prevented the Green-wings from breeding.


On March 9th I noticed that one of last )^ear's young

Gouldian Finches was unwell; it however recovered, but was

taken ill again on September 23rd : it is the hen bird. Why

should female finches always be more liable to illness than males ?


On the 12th my female Wells' Ground-dove died, having

been continuously laying and sitting upon clear eggs since the

beginning of the previous year.



