58 



His peculiar and characteristic tail- movements 

 betoken a quiet and reliant temperament, never 

 wagging here and there laterally, but as it were medita- 

 tively and deliberately up and down goes the tail, with 

 only a very occasional upward jerk under the influence 

 of any unusual excitement. The first pair in my 

 bird-room daily slipped with incredible boldness over 

 our heads as we opened the door into the sitting-room, 

 in order to seek here building material, and worms 

 or other insects from the numerous flower-pots about. 

 But still more marvellous was the way in which they 

 returned through the door, even if it was only open a 

 little way. I have only noticed this trait in a few 

 other species, such as Zebra and Grey Waxbills, 

 whereas others, for instance Bronze Mannikins, 

 though in all else very cunning little birds, if they 

 have escaped into another room, by no means easily 

 find their way back, even if the door be widely 

 opened. 



The nest (in captivity at least) of the Waxbills, 

 who seem quite satisfied with many different situa- 

 tions for it, varies in structure according to its site and 

 surroundings : they are just as likely to choose a 

 Hartz cage as a closed nest-box to build in, or some- 

 times will select some hole or other, or even an open 

 nest-box, especially if this is more or less concealed 

 by brushwood, but the nest is never actually built in a 

 bush without any other support. Its base is formed of 

 coarse stalks, dry leaves, or other greenery heaped 

 together, the sides and top being built up of long strips 

 of soft paper or bass, sometimes feathers, horsehair, 

 agave-fibre or hay, while the interior is lined with such 

 things as wood-wool, soft short hairs, tow, feathers, 

 rags, etc. The nest is always roofed over and is 

 is spherical in shape, with a small opening in the side, 

 generally nearly circular, but occasionally quite con- 

 cealed. In the late summer when one can supply the 



