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ALCOVE-AVIARIES AND BOWERS. 
would be the following:—Let us suppose a side garden-door of a country house (not the principal 
entrance) opening upon a small lawn enriched by geometrical flower-beds, or a rosary, through the 
midst of which a dry, broad path leads towards the shrubbery, which is entered by a winding walk, at a 
given point of which, about half way through, the visitor is introduced, by a sudden turn, to an open space 
of long, oval form, running longwise in the direction of south-east to north-west. This space should be 
bordered with a neat, but somewhat bold and massive, cement coping, which would form a support of 
congenial character to the pedestals and vases which are intended to stand on each side of the entrance, 
and, at distances, all round. The entrance should be at the south-eastern end of the oval, opposite to the 
alcove-aviary, which would thus have a favourable aspect, securing the early morning sun, so essential 
to birds, especially in a state of comparative confinement. Both the entrance and the way out should 
be concealed by well-designed windings. 
I propose that the front and exterior sides of those portions of the structure devoted to the aviary 
should be of one piece of strong glass, which would enable birds to be seen without the disagreeable 
intervention of wire-work, and at the same time form a protection from cold winds and beating rain, 
highly important to the healthy keeping of the birds. On the interior side of each compartment of the 
aviary, I would have wire-work only, as open as the size of the birds might render advisable. This, 
with the addition of proper ventilation planned under the thatch, would admit a sufficient quantity of 
air, and would place the birds in more open and immediate intercourse with the visitors, snugly seated 
within the shade of the alcove, and watching the varying play of sunshine upon the plumage of the 
moving birds, or renewing the food and water of the inhabitants of the aviary, which, it is scarcely 
necessary to state, should be done every day at least once, but if twice, so much the better. For these 
purposes, it is of course necessary that a wire-work door, large enough for a person to enter, should be 
framed into the interior wire-work. 
It will be seen by the design that a more decorative style of rustic-work is suggested than that 
usually employed, a branch of garden decoration on which I intend to offer some advice, accompanied 
by designs, on another occasion. 
Rustic-work of this character, if found impracticable by the usual mode—that of unbarked 
branches judiciously interlaced—should be roughly carved in wood, and varnished with trans¬ 
parent, but deep brown, varnish; or might be modelled, and then cast in cement, or even in 
iron; and I wonder much that low fences, &c., have not been cast in iron in that style, of which, 
however, I shall treat in a paper on that subject. The edge of the roof is surmounted by smaller 
rustic tracing of a similar character. This alcove-aviary should be well backed-up by thick-growing 
trees of considerable size, and the plantation should be of sufficient depth to prevent it being seen 
through, or the effect of a dark back-ground to the structure would be destroyed, and the spell of 
seclusion—the great charm of the scene—would be broken. 
An additional interest might be imparted to this secluded spot, by the introduction of a large but 
excessively simple tazza, containing gold fish; into this a gently bubbling fountain should convey 
a continual supply of fresh w r ater. This tazza should be almost of the dimensions of a miniature 
pond or basin, while its slight elevation on a low stand, as designed, would give it a novel and 
architectural character, in keeping with the other dressings of the scene. The small fountain in the 
centre might be made to issue from an opening of miniature rocks, raised slightly above the level of 
the water, and covered with water-loving Ferns and Mosses. But the exterior of the tazza should be 
kept freshly cleaned or painted; for wherever animal life, in whatever form, is the object to be petted 
and cared for, an appearance of daily attention, and perfect order and cleanliness are the most agree¬ 
able adjuncts to all arrangements for the purpose. The stand of the tazza is intended to be surrounded 
at some little distance with a low cement coping, within which some low-growing profuselv-flosvered 
plant is intended to grow,—such as Thrift at some seasons, double Daisies at another, or annual 
dwarf Lobelia at another,—which would partially break the formality of the coping, without destroying 
its symmetrical effect. 
An Aviary and Alcove of this kind might be approached from the house by a covered path if 
