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J. E. Sweetnam—Notes from a Somerset Aviary



food and water, I liberated their mother. She flew straightway to

the near by mountains—glad no doubt to be rid of her fickle and

faithless mate. Though this was more than three months ago, she

has not, so far as I know, returned once to her old home and her offspring.


Shortly after her departure, the newly mated pair built a very trim

little nest of twigs, lined with dry leaves and bits of dry moss. Twice

the White Dove laid eggs. Though she and her mate brooded regularly,

there were no young either time owing to infertility. When she laid

a third time, however, one egg hatched. Carefully the youngster

was nursed, the male being on the nest practically the entire day to

keep him warm, thus doing more than his usual share. For some

unknown reason he seems more attached to this particular youngster.

Maybe it is because he is the offspring of a wife than which he never

had a more beautiful one. Whereas she would fly off the nest almost

the moment I approached it, he would remain always, scolding me and

ready to strike me with beak and wing. The youngster has just flown

out of the nest. It is a handsome, strong bird somewhat larger than

either a young Mourning or a young White Dove, and somewhat lighter

in colour than the former. The hybrid is as pugnacious as its father,

shown by his fighting pose in one of the accompanying pictures, in

which he looks more like a fluffy young Owl than a young Dove. In

the meantime his parents are preparing to nest once more, and the

adventure in breeding these rather unique crosses continues.


Van Nuys,


California.



NOTES FROM A SOMERSET AVIARY


By J. E. Sweetnam


These notes were commenced as a letter to our editor recording the

rather unusual circumstances under which I had reared two Diamond

Sparrows. It then occurred to me that, though they refer to no very

rare or remarkable birds, some early breeding records might be of

interest to members whose avicultural activities are likewise restricted

by considerations of time, space, and expense. At present my small



