8o 
A Retrospect. 
and that, coupled with tlie advice of our kindly Editor, fmally 
put me on the right road. 
1 remember my first aviary — I had a pair of Cockatiels, 
five pairs of Budgerigars, and p:iirs of Madagascar, and Black- 
faced Lovebirds, not to mention a pair of Rosella and Red-rump 
I'arrakeets. 
The noise was deafening", and, when some kind friend 
suggested that Waxbills and Finches would be nicer, my wife 
agreed, and so the deed was done. The Parrakeets went, so 
aid the aviary, and a new one v,as built. In this case a small 
portion of the garden was wired m, a shelter bought and erected, 
and then came the birds. 
I started one day on a tour of the bird-shops, and, as 1 
had never seen a Waxbill, I had little to go upon; still I made my 
purchases. If I remember aright they were pairs of Bengalese, 
Grey, Golden-breasted, and other Waxbills, also a pair ot 
Grey Java Sparrows. The White form, which cost 7s. 6d. a 
pan-, were not bought, as they seemed too expensive — rather 
humorous this, when I think that a short year later I was cheer- 
fully paying £5 a pair for Yuhinas, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatches, 
Brown-backed Robins, and other varieties. 
Home I went as proud as Punch, and as perky as the pro- 
verbial sparrow, opened the aviary door and let them go. I 
knew nothing of acclimatisation and all that goes with it, and 
so a day or so later another visit was paid to the bird-shops to 
purchase odd birds in order to complete the pairs — several 
having died. This was repeated more than once, and then I 
learned wisdom. 
Now, if I buy a pair of birds from a dealer, they are taken 
home and put in a small cage for some days ; grit is given very 
sparingly, and their first drink is Epsom salts. Having, as it 
were, purified their system a tonic is given for some days; after 
a week they go into a larger cage, and, if all is well, in another 
fortnight the cage is taken into the shelter of the aviary, the 
cage door opened, and I get away as fast as possible, allowing 
them to find their own way out as quietly as they can. 
