194 
My Aviaries and their Inmates. 
cage marked K. The Red-sided ai-e at present showing signs of 
breeding. 
Aviary No. 2 : This contains : Crimson-wing Parrakeet 
( <? ), Cactus Conure ( ? ), and a pair of Cockateels, the latter reared 
me twenty young hist year in five nests of four each — notwith- 
standing that twice the hen all but succumbed to egg-binding in 
the early spring. At the present time (May 31st) she is incuba- 
ting four eggs. Last season I also had in this enclosure three pairs 
of Yellow Budgerigars which reared fourteen young during the 
season. l)ut I have now parted with them all. In this enclosure I 
also have Grey Cardinals whose nests never come to anything, 
and White and Grey Java Sparrows which breed very readily. 
Aviaries Nos. 3 and 4 : The wire netting division be- 
tween these two aviaries is of large enough mesh to enal)le the 
small birds to pass freely from one to the other, the larger species 
having to be content with the space of No. 3. Here are congre- 
gated together : Mesias, Pekins, Mannikins of sorts. Canaries 
(Yorkshire's), Green Singing Finches, Zebra Finches, Red- and 
Black-headed Gouldian Finches, and other small species. Last 
year I had so many Zeijra Finches I had to get rid of them all — 
they proved more prolific than our native Sparrows ! 
Gouldian Finches : I have done fairly well with this 
beautiful species — disappointing as it is to so many — rearing about 
twenty young in the course of two years of the two varieties, and 
at the present time in the slielter of No. 3 aviary, the Red-heads 
are busily engaged in feeding a brood of young birds. The small 
birds appreciated the wilderness under the wall of No. -1 aviary. 
The shelters have concrete bases and are well sandeil on top 
of the concrete. I keep a small amount of heat on in the shelters 
for nearly (> months of the year, which keeps them dry and warm 
without being hot, and I am sure it keeps the l)irdH more comfor- 
table in our cold and damp climate — in fact it appears to me a 
necessity to their well being : but, even in tiie eoldest weatlier, 
unless a snowstorm is raging I let them out for some hours daily, 
but they evidently appreciate their cosy warm shelters and do not 
stay out long on bad days. 
In aviary No. 4, I have trays of sand under the principal 
perching places of the birds about five feet from the ground, the 
aviary being rather narrow, I am able thus to keep the grass and 
shrubs clean and fri.'sli. 1 have made similar arrangements inside 
