28 J. Appleby—Bird Feeding


breed so much the more interesting, but I make no claim to be a

breeder.


My collection of about 120 is of birds common to most aviaries,.

Canaries, Diamond Doves, Budgerigars, Peking Robins, Whydahs,

Weavers, Grass Finches, Gouldians, Buntings, and Waxbills, etc.


They are divided into hardy and tender. The former are housed

in shelter and flight 30 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 10 feet high, which

is not heated. The latter have a room 15 feet by 12 feet by 10 feet

high, which is maintained at a temperature of not less than 55° Fht.

the year round, and a flight 12 feet square by 8 feet high, and these

are driven in each night winter and summer and include Grassfinches,.

Gouldians, some of the Buntings (Rainbow and Versicolor), and

Waxbills. Now, I have tried many mixings of seed and after

segregating the seeds least acceptable, have for some years used the

following with, so my friends tell me and I think, excellent results.


White millet 561b., small yellow millet 141b., small canary seed

28 lb., groats 7 lb., hemp 2 lb., teazle 2 lb., maw 2 lb., niger 1 lb.

Total 1121b.


I am often asked why I mix such small seeds and small quantities-

of niger, maw, and teazle with the others and not give them in

separate containers. If I did they would be devoured at once by a few

strong birds to the exclusion of the weaker ones. Whereas when mixed

they are obliged to search and scratch to fin'd them. The feeding tables

being of ample proportion (2 ft. 6 in. by 2 feet) there is room

enough and each bird has a fair chance.


The hardy birds, Canaries, Budgerigars, Weavers, Whydahs, etc.,,

have about 25 per cent giant sparies canary seed added to the above

mixture.


A soft food is provided for those birds which will take it, by no

means all, made of Spratt’s cod-liver oil, cage-bird food, to which is

added a little Bemax and Atora or shredded suet.


Two tablespoonful of C. L. A. Food is damped to a crumbly

consistency with boiling water ; to this is added a teaspoonful of Bemax

and one of suet and well mixed by stirring with a flat piece of wood or

a fork. This quantity will fill two shrimp pots and in my case is used

up in one day.



