i6 
Visits to Members' Aviaries. 
plumage. This was a matter of surprise to me, as such an 
aviary must feel the full effects of every caprice of the almost 
daily varying English weather. Another cause of surprise was, 
the large panes of clear glass were unprotected by wire netting, 
and there had been no fatalities or injuries from the birds 
bashing against same ! 
The next aviaries visited were a series of six, each approxi- 
mately 6oft. long, 6ft. wide and 8ft. high. The shelters were 
excellent, with a space of covered flight in front of each. For 
my own use 1 should prefer them half as wide again. These 
aviaries have been quite successful, and many species have bred 
therein, though, as in many other aviaries, results were very 
poor last year. i ne exposed corners of extreme end of flights 
were protected by glass lights fastened outside the netting. 
The hrst one contained a pair of Indigo Buntings 
(Cyaiwsfica cyanca). This species is not by any means a free 
breeder. This pair did not succeed in rearing any young last 
year, but in 1919 two broods were successfully reared to fend 
for themselves. The old pair look in the pink of condition, the 
male already showing signs of his azure summer garment. A 
pair of Bullfinches and other British Finches were also in the 
aviary. 
The next division contained a pair of Nonpareil Buntings 
{C. ciris). the male being a grand colour and a perfect specimen 
of this lovely species. The feiuale was equally good, but 
looked quite plainly dressed in comparison with the gorgeous 
many-coloured garment of the male. Here was illustrated the 
antagonism between these two species (C. cyanca and ciris), it 
having been necessary to cover the wire-netting division between 
the two flights with canvas, to prevent them doing each other 
serious damage, and even now where, in one or two places, the 
canvas is about one inch short of reaching the top, they fight 
through this narrow space, and these narrow gaps will have to 
be covered up. 
One or two divisions were empty, but another good pair 
of Indigo Buntings (this being a favourite species) occupied 
another division, and in the last were pairs of several species of 
British finches. Canaries and their hybrids. In this division 
