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Mrs. Dennis—Gouldian Finches



GOULDIAN FINCHES


By Mrs. Dennis


A few notes about my mixed collection of small foreign finches

may be of general interest.


The aviary is divided into two portions, the inner division

being one side of a large wooden building 20 by 4 feet. This opens

into a flight 18 by 8 feet, partly glazed, leaving one end open to the

winds and weather. In the spring I purchased some Cordon Bleus,

Cut-throats, Fire-finches, Avadavatg, Nuns, Bengalese, and Silver-

bills, and last, but not least, some Gouldian Finches. In the spring

I bought fifteen pairs of newly-imported birds. I knew the risk I

was taking, but determined to try the experiment. This particular

lot were indeed very fine specimens, and hopes of success flashed

high in consequence! I had partitioned off one end of the inside

aviary in readiness for these little travellers. It was in a warm

corner near a stove which heated a water-pipe running through

their new quarters.


For two or three days all went well, and they ate well and were

full of song, but on the fourth day one was dead, and the following

day two more, and again another one the next day. I sent up two

of these for a post-mortem, though I knew quite well what the

verdict would be. The same old trouble with all these newly-

imported birds, “ pneumonia.” A note completed this report:

“ Newly-imported birds are a very risky experiment! ” Of course,

I knew this, but had determined to see what I could do, but I must

say I felt somewhat depressed, as the survivors almost daily got

fewer !


However, I did not mean to lose heart, and after I had lost

fourteen or fifteen in three or four weeks, there were no more

casualties for a few days, and in fact after this I only lost one more,

and then found I had seven pairs left, in addition to a pair I had

had in a cage in my house for three years. This pair had never

shown any signs of breeding, but now that they had their freedom I

saw that they were continually in and out of the nesting-boxes.

I was also somewhat surprised to see one of the newly-imported birds



