P. W. Teague—Experiences in Removal and Feeding Methods 181


23rd July, I had Gouldians which had been sitting a couple of days

only and another pair with a nest of six youngsters only two days old.

In addition to these I had pairs of Ruficaudas, Bichenos, and those shy

breeders, Masked Grassfinches, all with young in the nests, as well

as many pairs of Bengalese in cages with eggs or young, yet not a single

pair deserted, every youngster was reared and every fertile egg hatched

and duly reared. When unloaded at Broadway squeaks for food seemed

to come from everywhere, however, the provision of hurricane lamps for

the cages and four aviaries containing young helped matters. It was

not long before the parent birds came off the nests and commenced

feeding in spite of the fact that these birds were not previously used

to lamp light. All the aviaries containing these birds were fitted with

the glass substitute “ Sunralite ”, and all cages I carefully covered with

a large mesh canvas so that the birds would have light and air.

Undoubtedly great credit for this successful move is due to the removal

contractors (Messrs. Faulkner and Sons, Leominster), who handled the

aviaries and cages very carefully and took a great interest in this work.

In order that the birds should not discover the changed surroundings

I kept the Sunralite shutters up for several days, only removing them

by gradual stages. My aviaries were visited by two prominent

aviculturists from the midlands a few days before I left Kilpeck and

they again visited me a little time after my arrival at Broadway and

saw these birds and nests. Should any of our members contemplate

a removal at such an inconvenient time no doubt this experience will

relieve them of their anxiety about their feathered pets. This month

I shall be moving again from these temporary quarters, but I anticipate

this second upheaval with tranquillity.


Death of old Gouldians. An item worthy of note is to record the

death of three old imported Gouldians when in the moult during the

severe weather we had last February. One pair was purchased in full

adult plumage over nine years ago, and the third an imported cock

over eight years in my possession—a good testimonial to the feeding

methods I gave in the Magazine a few years ago. Strangely enough

these three imported birds usually commenced their moult in

December, but owing to their age and the long, hard dreary winter

I was unable to pull them through even in a well-heated room. It is



