First Notes of the Season. 
163 
First Notes of the Season. 
By H. E. Bright. 
At the Editor's re(iuest I am jottinij down a few notes of 
the early happenings in my aviaries, in the hope that they may 
interest fellow members. 
Quite earlv in the year the birds began to get busv and 
there were, to me. nianv very interesting nests, and also cross 
matings, mostly with odd birds. Alas! like many of the prom- 
ises of Spring, very lew have matured, and. in the majority of 
instances all first clutches failed, but there were one or two 
bright exceptions. 
After being housed indoors for the winter months the 
birds were turned into their respective summer quarters, ii. 
which they soon showed by their demeanour that the " t'vv.e of 
the singing of birds was come," and apparently settled down to 
their business in life — contention, buoyant joyousness, and re- 
producing their kind. Speedily my groui)S of l-nngUlidac and 
Ploccidac were mated and busy seeking nesting sites or Inu'ldins.; 
their interesting homes of hay, fibre, etc. 
Among those of all groups so engaged I may enumerate 
the following : 
(ireen. Pope, and Red-crested Cardinals: Long-tailed 
Grassfinches; Zebra and I^ianiond Finches: Budgerigars; Cock- 
Long-tailed Grassfinch. 
