246 Brcedt7io of Passeriiie Parr akeets, etc. 
About the end of April, I concluded it would be safe to 
shift the pair from the heated greenhouse, in wliich they had 
wintered, into the outdoor aviary, which figured in May issue of 
current volume. This aviary is entirely roofed in, and has a 
glass front for protection from the furious winds, for which this 
part of the world is famous ; l)ut has the sides open, with shutters 
on the east and west, which can be taken down and replaced at 
will. I may mention, while I am on this subject, that I consider 
these shutters — especially in a windy locality like this (Hants.) — 
of very great value. They render one practically safe from the 
sudden changes which this delightful climate of ours affords, and 
have, of course, been of particular service this summer. 
The Passerines shared this aviary with my Black Cheeks 
and Stanleys, and they speedily settled down and formed part of 
a very happy famih'. Perhaps it was the good example .set by 
the Black Cheeks, in the way of reproducing their kind, that 
induced the Pa.sserines to depart from their usual non-productive 
habits. Anyway, about the middle of July, I heard vigorous 
remonstrances from a pair of Black Cheeks, to which I must 
admit I paid no particular attention ; but one wet day, on spend- 
ing some time in the aviary, I found that the hen Passerine was 
missing. A search in the various husks, with which this aviary 
is furnished, revealed that one of them, from which the Black 
Cheeks had previously brought out a brood, was inhabited by the 
heu Passerine; thus the "remonstrances" I had heard earlier in 
the month were most satisfactorily explained. 
I am, very unfortunately, unable to say when the eggs 
were laid, and therefore can give no data as to the period of in- 
cubation ; but this much I can place on record, viz., that the hen 
laid six eggs, two of which failed to hatch, that the first youngster 
was hatched on July 30th, and that the entire brood of four left 
the husk fully fledged practically simultaneously, on Sept. ist. 
They were very strong from the first, and after two or three days 
pecked up food (principally spray millet) for them.selves. 
There was no attempt whatever at making a nest. The 
old Passerines simply took po.ssessioii of a husk in which the 
Black Cheeks had previously incubated, and from which I had 
removed the nest lining. 
