lo6 
Starting the Season i(^2i. 
with a large Pie-Grieche {Lanariits polioccphalus), a Cog de 
Pagoda, a Lapwing and two Egyptian Plovers. Its best 
friend was a Roller (Coracias abysi)niicus) to whom it confided 
many interesting and amusing things, which the Roller no doubt 
understood, but which I myself was incapable of translating. 
Another specimen, wounded in December at Kan M'Bila, ate 
freely in a cage on the first day of its capture, and proved 
remarkably friendly. But on the 24th April a stupid boy left 
its cage door open, and it departed without leaving its address. 
All the Pies that I have kept have had the same good habit of 
notifying by their cry the approach of anything dangerous, thus 
allowing me to act quickly when a bird of prey, a cat, a dog, or a 
snake, has shown too much interest in my menagerie." 
With apologies to Dr. Millet-Horsin for a somewhat 
free translation. W.S.B. 
C 
Starting the Season 1921. 
By Lawrence Pullar, F.Z.S. 
What interests me may interest my fellow members, so 1 
am just jotting down a few notes concerning my arrangements 
for the coming season. 
Of course, this really commences in the late autumn, or 
perhaps early winter, for the care of the birds during that period 
plays an important part in the success or failure of the following 
season. 
My aviaries are on clay soil, and our winters here 
(Perthshire) are generally very severe, therefore my birds have 
to go indoors from November to April. Their winter quarters 
are a disused stable, the three loose-stalls of which I have 
turned into roomy flights, each about loft. x 15ft. x 12ft. high. 
Each flight is furnished with branches, perches, food and water 
hoppers. No nest-receptacles are put up as I have no desire to 
encourage winter nesting. A hot-water pipe runs along the 
back of each flight, and a comfortable temperature can always 
Se maintained. 
On April 2nd I transferred my birds from these winter 
quarters to my outdoor aviaries, and they are dispersed through 
the various enclosures as follows : 
