Feeding and Keeping HardbiUs. 69 



young hold their heads down while being fed, in a similar 

 manner to the Zebra Finches. 



(5) Colour. The beak and legs begin changing in colour 

 (the beak from the root) at about 5 weeks old, and the young 

 are practically indistinguishable from parents from 11 to 12 

 weeks old. 



I trust these notes will not be too boring for readers; 

 they are practically all diary notes taken day by day. 



Feeding and Keeping HardbiUs. 



By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 

 {Continued from page 45). 



In this instalment I purpose dealing with Breeding Finches, 

 leaving to the next instalment the subject of Keeping HardbiUs 

 'v\ Cages. I will merely add to last instalment a few words re 

 Ploceine finches as separate from the Fringilline group. 



PLOCEIDAE: Where this group — weavers, whydahs, 

 and waxbills — are given an aviary to themselves then millet 

 (white millet, Indian millet, and millet sprays) will form the 

 main seed menu. Canary seed can be offered, some species will 

 ea*^ it freely, and it certainly is a wholesome seed; hov/ever, 

 waxbills, especially the smaller species, take very little of it, 

 practically none from choice, and for such as the follov/ing : 

 Cordon Bleus Golden-breasted Waxbills 



Fire Finches Orange-cheeked Waxbills 



Avadavats Black-faced Waxbills 



Green Avadavats Dufresne's Waxbills 



Indian millet and millet sprays will form the main part of their 

 dietary. The seed heads and flower spikes of grasses are also 

 an important part of the menu. For weaver and v/hydahs, 

 subject to a seasonal change of plumage, a fair supply of live 

 insects or their larvae is very important, both at the period of 

 the moult and when the seasonal change (coming into colour) 

 cf plumage is taking place. 



BREEDING FINCHES: The following notes cover 

 both the Ploceine and Fringilline groups. 



