Stray Notes of the Scasou. 145 



vear out of doors, and usually bringing up one or two broods 

 per annum. So far they have one youngster independent this 

 year, and are now looking for a fresh site for another nest. 

 They spend nearly the whole of their time upon the ground, 

 have rather a mournful call " hoo-hoo," but in every other 

 respect are pleasing and attractive occupants of the aviary. 



I have put these dove episodes out of their proper 

 sequence, and I will now give a few other episodes in their 

 regular order. I had better preface my remarks by stating that 

 last autumn I put in the aviary two Hedge Accentors and four 

 Chafifinches, and this spring a hen Goldfinch procured from one 

 of the villagers; the others were captured on my holding. I 

 had intended to capture a cock Goldfinch^ these are plentiful 

 on the holding, but a pressure of duties prevented me till tne wild 

 birds were paired up and then I would not. Also there are a 

 number of hybrid Himalayan Siskin x Border Canary in the 

 aviary, which have been there several years ; up to the present 

 they have nested several times, but without result — all the eggs 

 have proved infertile, apparently they are barren when mated 

 inter se, but would doubtless produce young if mated either 

 with a Himalayan Siskin, or a Border Canary. 



The first episode I noticed was a Hedge Accentor's 

 (Accentor moditlar'is) nest, containing four blue eggs, of 

 the usual kind without markings. The nest was quite typical, 

 cosily lined, a perfect picttire of bird achitecture; it was in 

 rather an exposed position, in a fork of a cupressus bush by the 

 side of a path. They were only left in undisturbed possession 

 for a few days. I suspect the spoiler to have been either a 

 Pekin Robin or Pope Cardinal. The mischief was evidently 

 only recent when I noticed it, for the interior of the nest was a 

 mass of broken and partly-eaten eggs, quite fresh and still in 

 Hquid form. I think they are nesting again, but some of the 

 bushes are so overgrown with wild convolvulus that it is quite 

 impossible, without undue interference, to ascertain all that is 

 taking place in the aviary at the present moment. Many years 

 ago a brood of Accentors were reared to maturity in my aviary, 

 and I had a hankering to repeat the success. 



The Chafifinches (Fringilla coelehs) too, I desired to breed. 



