Long-tailed Grass finches. 67 



With the advent of the cold and wet conditions latterly 

 prevailing, all natural shelter such as leaves, etc., had blown 

 off, so that the nest had been much exposed, and although by 

 means of glass I had kept off much of the rain I found it very 

 wet. Thus ended my first and last experience of breeding 

 L.ongtails in 1912. 



The parent birds weathered the winter and looked healthy 

 and in line feather, but on March 23rd, 1913 (Easter Sunday), 

 the male bird died suddenly, thus leaving me with the old hen 

 and the odd male previously mentioned to carry on with, and 

 which ultimately brought success. 



In 1913 three clutches of eggs were laid, the Longtails 

 commencing nesting operations in April, and by the 29th had 

 started to sit on three eggs. The nest this time was in one of 

 the box compartments already mentioned. Again I noted the 

 parents caught a lot of insects for feeding the young when eggs 

 hatched, also that both parents brooded young again. This 

 nest of young lived to be about 16 days old, and then died 

 ov. ing to the indisposition of the mother bird. 



Later in June another lot of eggs (five) were laid, again 

 in a box, and young were hatched, but again at about 15 days 

 the parents deserted the young, and they went the way of the 

 great majority. 



During the inctibation of the eggs 1 now noted that the 

 male also took his share in these duties, as well as in the brooding 

 of the young". The latter, when hatched, were supplied with a 

 plentiful supply of fresh ant cocoons by their parents. I put 

 these in the aviary with the earth as well, by the shovelful, as 

 I found that they were excellent for young Zebras and for the 

 Waxbills in the aviary, and also provided exercise for the birds 

 in scratching, etc., to prevent them getting too fat. 



The third and last nest of the season hatched in August, 

 and was again in one of the box compartments. On the 



morning of August 22nd a young Longtaii flew out of the 

 nest — the first that had reached this stage of maturity this 

 season; it was a fine bird, quite as large as an adult Zebra Finch, 

 the tail being at least one inch in length, black and pointed; 

 beak black with whitish edges to gape, etc.; eyes black; legs 

 flesh-colour; plumage marked and coloured as in the adults. 



