Pleasures of Aviculture. 
203 
me. with others, as quite a young bird, yet he nmst have 
constructed ahiiost hundreds of typical nests since he came to 
stay with me — so I watched liim and soHloquised as he flashed in 
and out of the picture. 
A soft, rich, warljHng soni^' draws attention to another 
inmate, emanating" from the centre of a spruce fir, who does not 
yet show himself, but his voice is well known and always as 
pleasins;' to the ear as his beauty is to the eye ; 'tis tlie voice of 
my Pekin Robin; presently he shows himself, and pours out 
himself in song. Since 1915 he has lived in single blessedness, 
which has affected neither his health nor his temper, nor his 
self-respect, for he is always most excellently groomed, e'en 
though he has no lady-love to admire his beauty. By voice or 
person he spent the whole of the two hours with me to my great 
delight, for he is a favourite of mine, for he is the father of the 
several broods of young Pekins which were reared in my 
Mitcham aviary, and I lived those pleasant experiences o'er 
again. 
Photo E. 0, Page. 
Looking through the Flight from within. No, 4 Aviary. 
