39 



Some Fanciers have small deal boxes, similar to boarding-school boys boxes, 

 With a logger hole cut for the birds to go in and out at j it opens at the top, being 

 on hinges, to put in the nestpans or look at the young birds. I formerly used 

 pots in my loft amongst my feeders where I shifted the young Almonds ; these 

 were pots similar in shape to a bee-hive ; the dimensions were twelve inches high, 

 and ten in clear at bottom, with a flat knob at top to lift it up by ; but without 

 any bottom, the flooring forming the bottom, with a logger hole five inches wide, 

 and reaching seven high from the bottom, 1 could place them anywhere on the 

 flooring of the loft and put the nest pan under them. I used them also in my 

 penns with Almonds, which kept them very warm, but it is too troublesome to 

 lift off to look at a number of young birds. It did not answer amongst the feeders, 

 the young birds getting out and were killed by the birds in the loft. 



So much depends on the circumstances and spirit of the Fancier, and the 

 difference is so great between the prince and the peasant (although a spirited 

 Fancier) if it was their intention to prepare a place for the Almond Tumbler, the 

 prince might construct a place that would astonish those who are not Fanciers, 

 more than the Almond Tumblers ; while the peasant would be compelled, com- 

 paratively speaking, to breed in a rabbit hutch. 



The Fancier best knowing how he is circumstanced for room, will b^ more 

 competent to mature his, own plans; but having tiers of penns is decidedly the 

 best, as they can be made portable and shifted from one place to another, 



I have found in my experience, that after taking great pains in the making of 

 good nests in the pans, that the birds going into other penns, robbing and destroying 

 each others nest, or by " calling" and making their nest otherwise than I could 

 have desired, that in a week after they had scarce a bit of straw left in their pans; 

 now having many birds this annoyed me, and caused me to think how I could 

 alter it, and here I will inform you how, this season, I have constructed their nest, — 

 My pans are seven inches in diameter at the top, and four inches in depth (both 

 in the clear) but sloped inwards, the bottom of the outside five inches, that they 

 may stand firm if placed on a shelf or the flooring ; they are very stout, so that 

 if a bird flew upon the edge of a pan it would not pull it over. I get rush matting 

 (which may be obtained at upholsterers or other shops) and placing the top of 

 the pan upon it cut it round, then getting fresh yellow deal sawdust that has the 

 turpentine in it, which the insects will not come near, take a pint of this and put 

 it into the pan, work it round, still maintaining the shape of the pan by a small 

 pan or wooden bowl, (I once heard a Professional Gentleman state that he made 

 the nest in the pans with his lapstone) and then carefully placing the rush matting 

 which will cover the saw dust, forming a lining within the pan, and at the same 

 time retaining the shape of the pan. 



While I was thinking of this plan, I had made up my mind to paste in the rush 

 matting, but fortunately for me, in placing it in the inside of the pan, found it 

 spring and adhere so closely that I abandoned the paste. It may be objected to by 

 some Fanciers that the rush matting would harbour the vermin, (they have no 

 right to be in the aviary or loft,) I believe the turpentine in the fresh yellow deal 

 sawdust would prevent that ; and at the same time cause great warmth to the 

 eggs or young birds. If through your neglect you have allowed vermin in your 

 aviary or loft, you must exercise great care or the vermin will beat you. It is 

 otherwise with me, for I have declared war against and will exterminate them, 

 should the sawdust fail in keeping away the insects. I will, after having cut a 

 score 01* two of these rush mattings, place them one upon another in a paij, and 

 then getting the strongest tobacco water, pour it on the matting, letting it absorb 

 as much as it will, then taking them out and putting a few bits of lath or stout 

 wire placed over the pail, placing the matting judiciously so as to drain into the 

 pail that none of the tobacco water is lost (for you will find ample room for 

 economy in the breeding and rearing the Almond Tumbler), and when dry or 

 nearly so, place this over the sawdust and form the inner lining of your nest pan ; 



