13 



(nesting), and another pair of some species of Serin 

 new to me, like a dull-coloured Green Singing Finch, 

 but more stoutly built and as large as a Cape Canary, 

 and which I am almost sure were neither Sulphur 

 nor St. Helena Seedeaters. Nearly every species of 

 small African seedeater was represented except the 

 Crimson-eared Waxbill. These at different times 

 Mrs. Reid has kept and found them more delicate 

 and less long-lived than most of their allies, though 

 even so they are among those which she has 

 successfully bred. 



In the breeding line Mrs. Reid's success has 

 been indeed marked, nearly every kind of Waxbill 

 and small foreign finch of which she has possessed 

 a pair (and this last must include nearly every species 

 possible as a cage-bird), having nested and reared 

 young in her aviaries. Even at the time of my visit 

 (midwinter) I remember that I saw Bronze Mannikins, 

 Green Singing Finches, Bengalese, Wild Canaries, 

 and Yellow-rumped Seedeaters on their nests, and I 

 know that there were others which I have forgotten, 

 while of the Parrot family, beside the Peach-faced 

 Lovebirds already mentioned, I was shown some 

 young Quaker Parrakeets and at least one young 

 Blue Mountain Lory, which was hatched a few 

 months previously. In the same aviary as the Blue 

 Mountains was another very striking Parrakeet, a 

 Jendaya, a bird I thought I knew, but after seeing 

 this marvellously handsome bird with a golden crown 

 and deep salmon-coloured breast, I feel sure that I 

 must have been mistaken, or at least that I have 

 never seen one in anything like condition. 



Although I have by no means exhausted the list 

 of birds these splendid aviaries contain, I am afraid 

 that I have reached the limit of my memory, so will 

 close with an expression of my thanks to Mrs. Reid 



