180 
The Life Story of a Mealy lieclpoU. 
I hope during the year to g-et together a good series 
of birds, and hope to have some results to chronicle during 
next season. 
In another portion of the grounds is a moderate 
sized aviary— an enlarged and transformed dog's shelter and 
exercise ground, this has been arranged for Budgerigars, Cocka- 
teels, and Lovebirds. 
The general efiect of the aviary is very pleasing and 
though in quite a prominent position in the grounds, abut- 
thig on the main lawn, it does not in any way detract there- 
from, but is a picturesque acquisition. 
The Life Story of a Mealy Redpoll. 
{Continued from page 12 (J). 
Told by Himself. 
I fear that my story will have to be curtailed. I 
wanted the Boss to let me say something about aviary life 
as seen from the inner side, and about the diHied'ent races of, 
liedpoUs and their inter -relationship, and to illustrate my little 
article with a photo, which he has, showing my better-half 
sitting on her nest, but the Boss says that he did not realize 
until he saw my little story in print how completely unsuitable 
to the Magazine it was and that he thinks that I had better 
cut it short. There is another excellent reason why I should 
do so and that is that tomorrow we are to see the fullilment 
of a long-standing promise and every Redpoll in the aviary 
is to be set free. Only to-day did the Boss discover that we 
had nipped off every single fruit-bud in our aviary and he 
has been simply boiling with indignation all day, but I hope 
that he will simmer down sullicieiitly to say good-bye nicely 
tohiorrow. It is entirely his fault really for not letting us go 
earlier in the spring. I have told the youngsters all about 
the Northland and they are all as keen as mustard to be off, 
but I am not quite so wildly enthusiastic myself. You see I 
am getting quite an old fogey now (I have been five years 
in the aviary) and a bit short in the wind, so I rather dread 
that long and toilsome flight across the North Sea. Also there 
are undeniable advantages in having one's breakfast brought 
