A Sunhirds' Aviary. 
285 
Little Namaqua Land, Natal, Zuhiland, Orange Free State, Transvaal, 
and Matalx^leland, being more or less common in all these provinces. 
It will be readily understood that the picture of these 
birds, radiating- forth, as they do under the iplay of light, every 
hue of the rainbow, can be better imagined than described— 
they resembled flashing jewels as the glistening metallic-hues 
of their many-coloured garments passed before our vision — in 
the roomy flig-ht illustrated in our frontispiece. One can only 
liken it to lightning-like gleams (?f flashing- scarlet, green, 
blue, yellow, etc., as they disported themselves amid the 
branches, foliage and flowers of their palatial abode. 
The aviary is, I think, 10ft. long. 6ft. wide and 7ft. 
high, and can be divided by a roll -up Avire partition when 
required. In the photo the i)erspective is rather acute, but 
this wa.s unavoidable if the whole of the aviary was to appear. 
The birds were quite at home, not at all scared by spectators, 
or Mr. Ezra's presence in their midst, and we were not only 
able to gaze entranced u])on the fairy-like gracefulness of 
thcii- deportment and flight, but also to observe their indi- 
vidual beauty as they rested undisturbed, or sipped heartily 
at the syrup supplied for their delectation. 
Tlie writer hopes that Mr. Ezra will himself, describe 
the bird,; and their demeanour, as he can do this so much more 
fully than a visitor passing a mere hour with them. 
In cages, arranged around the sides of the room, were 
a number of other beautiful and rare species of which I can 
only give a list. 
Rufous-bellied Niltava {NiUavn smiddva), Large Minivet (Pcri- 
crocoluif sprciosiht), Short-billed Minivet (P. brcinrostris), Small Mini- 
vet (P. prrrgri)i>i.s), lied -tailed Minla (Minia igncotmrtn), Himalayan 
Red-headed Bullfinch (Fyrrhula erythrnccphala), Velvet-fronted Niit- 
hatch (Sitla frontalis), Red-flanked Bush-Robin (lanthia rufilnia), Scar- 
let-breasted Robin {Pclroica Icggi), Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla tryrhid), 
Lutino Blossom -headed Parrakeet, and White -eyebrowed Blue iind White 
Fl j'catcher . 
My last word must be of Mr. Ezra's Humming-bird, 
which was perfectly at home and the picture of health and 
splendour in its roomy cage. It was not at all disturbeid' 
liy our close proximity, and leisurely sipped the syrup provided 
for it.s sustenance; mostly it fed hovering above the food tin, 
its wings whirring like a propeller, but at such a speed that 
