ii\..vhiils as Az'iafy Birds. 265 
l)rou,i;lit forth tlieir yoiint;- — yet this charming summer paradise 
would have been a winter death-traj) had it not been treated in 
the autumn on the hues indicated earlier in this article. 
In this aviary Black Tanagers, Malabar Mynahs, Cirey- 
winged Ouzels, I'ekin Robins and others brought forth their 
young all in the same year; pairs of Yellow-winged Sugarbirds 
and (rold-fronted Fruitsuckers, Blue Robins, Plumbeous Red- 
.starts, etc., all dwelt with the wee-mites we are considering, iiml 
gorgeous as many of these were, yet the beauty of the vvaxbills 
was not eclipsed, nor were their charming cliaracteristics 
and habits obscured or stamped out by these larger neighl:)ours. 
Their individuality stood out ; they did not hide away, but openly, 
with throbbing throats, trilled out their little lay of the gladness 
cf Hfe. 
During the time of seeding grass the aviary seed bill was 
a light one — mice were the heaviest cost in this respect ! 
I will anticipate a query or two : Were these wee mites 
visible among this dense herbage? Yes, for the swaying and 
bending grass stems revealed them; perhaps the (irey, and St. 
Helena Waxbills were the most difificult to see, but they were 
seen, and one could visualise the charm of their more subdued 
colouring, and how exquisite it was amid this setting of living 
green. 
Were they interfered with or disturbed by their larger 
neighbours ? No, I cannot call to mind a single loss from this 
cause; nay, I go farther and state that the peace and harmony 
of the aviary was far in excess of one in which only small birds 
were kept. 
Do I hear a whisper " But there is nothing about treat- 
ment in all this!" I beg to differ, for I sincerely hope it 
breathes all through these notes, though nothing has been said 
as to various seeds, etc. In this mixed series, canary, white, 
and Indian millet, wild seed mixture, insectile mixture, milk-sop, 
fruit and live insects was the regular Bill of Fare to meet the 
requirements of so varied a collection. Of these the waxbills 
regularly visited the seed pans, but they favoured the millet 
pan most of all ; occasionally they picked over the insectile 
mixture, and mo.st days took a little milk, but seldom they 
nibbled the fruit, though I have seen them do so — they took 
many flies off the fruit-^very seldom did they trouble about a 
