12 A. C. Ftimer—Successes and Failures in the Aviaries


being an absolutely deep bronze and the black head feathers terminating

nearer to the eye than in the true Masked Lovebirds.


Amongst a collection of small Finches the only ones who attempted

anything interesting were three Masked Grass-finches, one cock bird

and two hens.


It was quite a communal family, and all three took an interest

in rearing and bringing out two youngsters, and although they lived

for seven weeks out of the nest to become strong flying birds, they

both met their end at the hands of either a cat or an owl, which appears

to have got at them through the wire netting and bitten off their

heads.


The Gouldians have until very recently proved very obstinate this

year. Years ago I kept my Gouldians in an outside aviary, and although

during five years I had never been without a pair of Gouldians, they

never even got as far as laying an egg.


After reading Mr. Teague’s well-known and excellent article on

Gouldian Finches I caged them, when they immediately settled down

to domestic operations.


During the first year of caged life we bred five young from one pair ;

the second year seven young from one pair, and the third year fourteen

young from one pair. After that it was decided to put several pairs

up for breeding, and since that date we have never bred a young

Gouldian, and this summer I decided to put them out in the aviary

again.


Yesterday I heard young Gouldians squeaking in the nest, and so

I am once again undecided as to whether Gouldians breed better in

an aviary or a cage.


One other item of particular interest to myself, but yet another

tragedy : last autumn a friend presented me with a small Parrakeet

in a cage.


After sundry inquiries and reference to “ Parrots and Parrot-like

Birds ” this turned out to be a Kashmirian Moustached Parrakeet,

or alternatively a Javan Parrakeet.


Later in the year I was successful in obtaining a Javan Parrakeet

cock, when the first comer immediately proved herself to be a hen

by taking possession of the nesting box and starting to lay an egg.



