Gbe Bengalese. 



By H. R. Fillmer. 



There are three fully domesticated varieties of cage birds 

 — the Canary, the White Java Sparrow, and the Bengalese. The 

 last named, and by no means the least interesting, is a product of 

 Japanese industry and skill. Either the Sharp-tailed Finch 

 {Uroloncha acuticauda), the Striated Finch (U. striata) or some 

 nearly allied form now extinct, appears to have constituted the 

 original stock, but for so long a time (how long it is impossible 

 to say, but possibly for hundreds of years) has the race existed 

 in captivity that it has developed well marked and permanent 

 variations, in the same way as the Canary has. With this differ- 

 ence, however, that while the Canary has developed along several 

 distinct lines, producing such diverse types as the Belgian, the 

 Norwich, the Lizard, &c, the Bengalese has varied little except 

 in one point, viz., that of colour, and the total variation from the 

 parent stock is much smaller than in the case of the Canary. 



There are two forms of this bird, the Fawn and White, 

 and the Chocolate and White ; and although these forms are 

 constantly crossed they always breed true. In other and more 

 scientific phraseology, the inheritance is alternative. The two 

 forms seem to behave much as the buffs and yellows of Canary- 

 dom, but the analog}' with Blue and Grey Dutch Rabbits is still 

 closer. The pure white Bengalese is sometimes spoken of as a 

 third form, but it is really only an extreme development of one 

 of the others. This white form is seldom seen, at any rate in 

 Europe, but there seems no reason why it should not, by careful 

 selection, become more or less fixed, and in time fairl)' common, 

 though it is to be expected that, as in the case of the White Java 

 Sparrow, only a small proportion would be bred true to colour. 



The Bengalese is no songster, for though he expends a lot 

 of energy on the production of his few notes, they are very faint 

 and not at all musical. Nevertheless his quaint confiding ways 

 are attractive. He is fairly easy to breed, and success is best 

 obtained hy placing one pair in a cage or small aviary without 

 other occupants. The nest is built in a closed receptacle, such 

 as a cocoa nut husk or a cigar box. Soft hay, and a little hair 



