78



Dr. M. Amsler—Breeding Failures



where it has been re-erected on four courses of bricks, which makes it

considerably higher than before ; also its length has been increased

by one-third, so that it is now 30 feet long instead of 20. This

building is divided into six shelters 10 feet square, each of which has

access through glazed doors to flights 10 feet wide and 30 feet long ;

these are gradually being planted with shrubs which are not wanted

in the garden.


I find the shrubby spiraeas and some of the rather prickly barberries

are much liked as nesting sites by the smaller Finches.


In addition to the above, there are three separate small aviaries

about 10 feet long, each of which has a special trap-door through

which birds can come and go if one wishes to give them their liberty

when feeding young. I have made the mistake of erecting these small

aviaries too near to the main ones—with the result that a liberated

bird at first causes one a good deal of anxiety by fighting some closely

allied species through the wires of the larger flights.


Owing, I suppose, to our proximity to the sea, we get tremendous

gales in these parts. I have been obliged to make special provisions

this winter to prevent the rain blowing into the shelters, which have

once or twice been in a sorry mess after a night of gale and rain, of

which we have had more than our share this autumn and winter.


It is a great comfort to others who have had disappointments to

hear of the failures of their fellows in misfortune, and I think I cannot

do better than go through my notes for the year and record each

calamity in turn.


Beginning with gallinaceous birds, Elliot’s Pheasants laid ten

eggs—all infertile.


Monauls —five eggs, three clear, two fertile, and broken by the

broody hen a couple of days before they were due to hatch.


Peacock Pheasants did not lay—probably late-hatched birds

and not sufficiently mature.


Amherst Pheasants laid over twenty eggs—almost all fertile,

and the chicks killed one after another by one of my dogs—since sold.

Result, two fully reared.


Sonnerat’s Jungle Fowl, rather wild at first, not quite tame—

did not lay.



