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Bengalee hen, and as soon as the warm weather set in they 

 showed a desire to nest. As I did not want any more of the 

 hybrids I caught the Spice-bird and put him in a separate aviary, 

 in the hope ot securing a cock Bengalee. For some reason or 

 other these seemed to be very scarce this year and several dealers 

 I applied to sent in the same report — " none on the market."' 

 The hybrids, however, proved to be in vigorous health and mated 

 tip with the Bengalee and also amongst themselves. There were 

 several nests and much nest making going on. Numerous 

 clutches of eggs were laid and duly sat on, but of course all were 

 unfertile. The nest usually built was of hay, with the top 

 always covered in. The structure had an entrance of about four 

 to six inches, and the birds had to walk up this " entrance hall" 

 before reaching the actual nest. It was composed entirely of 

 long bents of hay, and generally built from front to back of the 

 pea sticks in which they invariably nested. But once or twice 

 they selected a Hartz travelling cage, the same shaped nest 

 being always made. 



I have noticed this year that the birds seemed to be more 

 chubby in build and appear to have filled out more. The colour- 

 ing is also more intense and therefore more after the Spice-bird 

 fashion. The " song " too is stronger, and in one bird, at least, 

 is a combination of both species. For in the midst of the Spice- 

 bird twittering you can plainly hear the "quack, quack." of the 

 Bengalee. I suppose it is a similar mixture that we get from the 

 Goldfinch-canary mules, a blending of the two songs. But of 

 course the birds are not songsters. 



The}' are lively little birds, strong in flight, and are always 

 darting about the aviary, with joyous and happy hearts, providing 

 plenty of interest to the observer. They never seem to ail any- 

 thing, are content with ordinary seed mixture, fairly revel in a 

 bath, and keep on good terms with the rest of their fellows. 

 What more can vou want? 



