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Green Singing Finches, Weavers, Zebra Finches, 

 Silverbills, Java Sparrows, Common Waxbills, Orange 

 Cheeks and Avadavats. The Waxbills, although con- 

 sidered rather delicate, did not seem to be seriously 

 inconvenienced, even in the coldest weather. Con- 

 sidering that my aviary is within lOO yards of the 

 Humber, in a fairly open situation, I think this is a 

 good test of the hardihood of the species named, and 

 I am in hopes that they will breed freely this season, 

 after spending a winter in the open air. 



Since October ist last year, I have lost a pair of 

 Zebra Waxbills, a pair of Nonpareil Buntings, a hen 

 Green Singing Finch, cock Bronze Mannikin, and 

 three Zebra Finches. During the winter, with the 

 exception of Javas and Zebra Finches, none of them 

 attempted to breed. Some of them are, however, 

 now commencing. 



I succeeded in rearing four broods of Russian 

 Goldfinches, three Bronze Mannikins and several 

 Zebra Finches. A pair of Russian Bullfinches 

 hatched two broods of young ones, but although the 

 parents appeared to look after them well, they died 

 when about a week old. 



All the birds appear to agree pretty well, with the 

 exception of a cock Bishop, who, at times, gets rather 

 '* frisky,'* and chases whatever bird comes near him. 

 After he had killed a young Goldfinch last summer I 

 removed him until after the breeding season, together 

 with a pair of Bramblings, the cock of which I caught, 

 red-handed, murdering a brood of newly-hatched 

 Twites. None of them appear to like a fresh arrival, 

 and if it is a single bird it is very fortunate to escape 

 with a rough handling. 



I have had great difficulty in getting rid of mice, 

 which I am convinced pass with ease through the 

 half-inch wire netting. 



