Correspondence 125



GOULDIAN FINCH


Madam,- —I have a cock Gouldian Finch which was freshly imported a year

and a half ago. This bird has been out in an nnheated aviary all this winter

in 18 to 20 degrees of frost and has never looked better ; so that rather proves

it is not absolutely necessary for Gouldians to have heated aviaries. It is

in a large aviary with other birds—Finches and Budgerigars and Long-tailed

Grass Finches ; and many a morning the ice is several inches thick in the

water troughs and the Gouldian seems thoroughly to enjoy it.


D. M. Grant-Ives.



DOUGLAS PICKING FAUNA RESERVES AND PROPAGATION AREAS,

DROMANA, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA


Madam, —On reading your Editorial in the November issue I thought

I might be able to send something of interest along for the Magazine from

time to time.


We have several people here in Victoria whose collections are particularly

good, and I think that a few notes about them now and again would be very

interesting reading for aviculturists overseas.


The collection of Pheasants owned by Mr. A. Jaques, of Victoria, is, I am

sure, one of the finest in the world, and his success at rearing them is out¬

standing. I should very much like to get Mr. Jaques to give me some notes

for the Magazine. [Please try !—Ed.]


Also we have men like Mr. W. Forster-Woods, Chairman of the Melbourne

Stock Exchange, who, for the sheer love of the birds, has without fuss and

trumpet-blowing imported at great expense some of the finest game birds

ever to come to these shores. Unfortunately game propagation in Australia

is not given the attention it deserves, and although some of these men have

spent small fortunes in giving the country good quality stock to relieve the

strain on our own native game they have not received much encouragement.

It is not through the fault of the Fisheries and Game Department, for

Mr. Lewis, the Chief Inspector, is doing his utmost, but it is really lack of

general interest. I could say a great deal about this matter.


Dr. Clendinnen, the Collins Street specialist, has a remarkable collection

of Parrots and the like, and is an expert as well and is regarded as an

authority, as he is in his own profession.


There are several others who are not only successful business men but have

valuable collections, and know every detail as to how to care for them and,

above all, breed them. Their experiences would be worth while recording.


The letter on p. 314 from Miss Maxwell Jackson is very interesting, and

should give food for thought. Some sort of preparation area for bird fife may

be a sound idea if run on efficient lines, and in charge of capable enthusiasts

who do not make £ s. d. the first consideration, and if the project had the

backing of genuine aviculturists and official recognition of respective govern¬

ments, who would be able to take the word of the person in charge that all

stock was sound and healthy and true to name, and was going to people who

knew how to care for it, then a great deal of trouble and loss of valuable bird

life would be eliminated.


We are not all perfect, and some are more fortunate than others in

having the money to enjoy aviculture to the full, but the love of wild life must

come from the heart, and our first consideration should be for the birds them¬

selves and how best we can all unite to make them contented, and to try as

far as possible only to transport acclimatized mated stock that has every



