Foreign Birds. 
73 
any ureat extent iipnii tln^se stM'tiitiis merely tn indicate tlieir pur- 
port. It slioiiltl alsci iiiraii the plaeiny us lieyoiul the iiei'd of 
outside supply lor liu' species so treaieil. The necessaries would 
he two or three aviai-ies. each contaiuiiiH, say, a pair of several 
si)ecies (each aviary to contain the same to secure unrelated stock) 
and to yive them as natural conditions as possi))le for the repro- 
duction of their kind. Those with a lar^e series of aviaries might 
certainly do worse than devote one or two aviaries to such a 
purpose. Such aviaries should at any rate pay their own way and 
provide much interest. Practically the only species with which 
anything has been done in this respect is the Budgerigar {Melu^)- 
sittacus undulatwi). 
V. The Keeping and Breeding of Birds in Cages : 
This is somewhat akin to Section I., yet there is a difference, for 
the point of similarity ends with feeding and treatment, the avi- 
culturist here, has to go a step farther than any of those in the 
preceding sections, viz., to surmount the various difficulties, con- 
trive cages and suri'oundings, that shall induce his birds to 
repi'oduce tlieir kind under entirely artificial conditions ; very 
little has been done in this country in this direction, though much 
success has been attained on the Continent, notably in Germany, 
in this aspect of bird-keeping. Thei'e have been one or two 
notable exceptions recently among our members, of which I will 
instance two : — 
Mr. H. Robbins, who reared a brood of Long-tailed Grass- 
finches {Pocpliila acutciauda) in I believe quite a small 
cage. 
Dr. H. Hetley, who successfully reared a brood of Crimson 
Finches {Neoc/tmia p/iaetun) in a cage in one of his sitting 
rooms. 
If both these gentlemen, would give us full details of their cages 
and furnishings, and also if possible a photo of same, it would be 
of great interest and utility. 
Many of our members have attained great skill in the 
keeping of birds in cages, if some of these would send us accounts 
of their methods and procedure, it W(n;ld contril)ute greatly to the 
interest and practical character of the Club Journal. 
I have not been othei'wise than crude (with intent) in the 
foregoing remarks, leaving the various aspects of aviculture to be 
dealt with as the series proceeds. 
