44 



fresh : I want it and if the pocket will stand it I have to have it. 

 I have now kept about thirty different varieties of foreigners, 

 including the Black-headed, Red-billed and Rufons-necked 

 Weavers. I am not very fond of these as cage birds, although 

 they make charming inhabitants of a large aviary if kept separate 

 from weaker birds. The only one I have now is the Rufous- 

 necked ; this was given me in 1904, having previously been in an 

 outdoor aviary, and when I first had him was as " wild as a 

 Hawk" and as disreputable looking as a village sweep. He took 

 a lot of taming down, but came into grand plumage in 1905, and 

 was good enough to secure second prize at Cambridge Show in 

 that 3'ear and also in 1906. 



I have also kept Combassous, Zebra Finches, Pekin Robins 

 and Saffron Finches. I have also a pair of Paradise Whydahs, 

 and when Mr. Whydah is in full plumage he is the wonder of all 

 my friends. At the C. P. Show I saw Mr. Watts' Queen Whydah, 

 and I really am afraid I " shan't be happy till I get one." 



I am not a great lover of the larger foreigners, but at one 

 time or another have owned the "Moustache" and "Indian" 

 Parrakeets, and at the present moment I have the Red and 

 Yellow-vented Blue Bonnets — lovely birds, but so nervous ; a 

 Rosella and a pair of Scaly-breasted and a Blue-breasted Lorikeet. 

 I did not intend to keep the Scaly-breasted, but the wife fell 

 in love with them, so of course I dare not part with them. 



I have purposely left the Australian Finches to the last as 

 these are my special fancy. I have had the following at different 

 times: Chestnut - breasted, Masked, Long -tailed, Gouldian, 

 Parson, Rufous-tailed, Parrot, Bicheno Finches and Diamond 

 Sparrows ; in fact I have one or more examples of all, except the 

 first three, at the present time. 



The Gouldian and Parson Finches are great favourites of 

 mine, the latter has such a quiet, self satisfied look about him, 

 and he always looks as clean as a new pin. 



As to breeding results, except as to Budgerigars and 

 Cockatiels, these are practically nil. I once had a young Ribbon- 

 finch partly reared, but he got out of the nest before he was 

 feathered and " did a die." Zebra Finches have nested with me, 

 but the hen I had seemed to consider the proper way to reproduce 



