6



A. C. Furner—A Derby Member's Aviaries



Eider Ducks laid and one young was reared, but it met with an

accident later on. Brazilian and Chilian Teal also bred. All my Sea-

ducks are doing very well. Scoters, Velvet Scoters, Long-tails, Common,

and Barrow’s Golden-eyes, Harlequins, on the little lake of some three

acres, overcrowded with over 300 waterfowl, and fed on grain and

soaked dog biscuit only, live perfectly happily. Some of them have

been there from six to ten years. Besides the Spotted Tree-ducks,

some good new Ducks came to Cleres this year ; several pairs of Bajah

Sheldrakes, brought by Mr. Frost, and a new consignment of White-

backed Ducks ( Thalassornis ), Hottentot Teal, and African Pigmy

Geese, which Mr. Webb collected in Madagascar. They arrived in

perfect condition and now are acclimatized in another duck-aviary.

These aviaries, by the way, are most suitable for small and delicate

Teal, and look extremely pretty.


In a further article, I will give some news of the birds which live

in my tropical houses, which I increasingly think by far the best way

to keep and breed all the more delicate species.



A DERBY MEMBER’S AVIARIES


By A. C. Furner


Only in view of our Editor’s request and the fact that one must

realize her difficulty in obtaining matter for the Magazine at this

time of the year am I presuming to write the following notes on the

results of my bird-keeping for 1935.


To give Members some mental idea of the layout of these aviaries

I am enclosing with this article one or two snapshots which the Editor

might care to censor, and publish which she considers the best.


The collection comprises the usual Bed-rumped Parrakeets,

Cockatiel, Bosellas, varying species of Lovebirds, and one or two of

the small Finches ; the whole being interspersed with odd pairs of

Budgerigars.


Begarding the Australian Bed-rumped Parrakeets, these birds



