214 Happenings in Our Aviaries. 



rushes, and then their calls sound like the chirping of 

 innumerable crickets. 



The Wire-tailed Swallows {Hirundo sinithii) were 

 common about the edge of the jheel. and with theiu were a few 

 Common Swallows (Hinindo rustica). 



I'he best of things must end. and it was time to return 

 to the car. As we landed the boats a Kingtisher {Alcedo hispida) 

 was disturbed from his perch at the water's edge. We 

 lingered for a moment to watch his larger relative the Pied 

 Kingfisher (Ccrylc rudis) hover and dive; twice he plunged and 

 emerged with empty beak. The third time brought luck, and 

 as he flew' off in triumph with a fish we turned towards the car, 

 also with our spoil. 



Happenings in Our Aviaries. 



By Dr. E. Sprawson, M.C, F.Z.S., etc. 



(Continued from page i6j). 



Following on my notes to you in August some of our 

 hopes materialised and some did not. 



RuFOUs-TAiLKD ( iRASSFiNCHEs (BafliUda riifieauda). 

 These did very well, having brought up their hrst family of 

 four; they exceeded expectations on September 13th and 14th 

 by bringing out of their box-nest five more babies which, in 

 spite of the weather, they brought u}) to independence. We 

 caught them up for the winter two or three days ago. but we 

 have since lost one. The parents are now (October nth) 



sitting again, having commenced to on the 5th, but. of course, 

 it is too late now, and we shall take them in soon. However, 

 they have done quite well this year. We have never seen the 

 adults go through the courtship performance the ]\Iarquis of 

 Tavistock writes about, but several times during August we 

 saw one or two of the young from the first nest — young males 

 evidently — and still, of course, in their immature plumage, fly 

 the length of the aviary, bearing a grass stalk and making the 

 noisy, flapping and slow flight he describes- -flying towards 

 ether young of the same species. 



FiREFiNCMKs { La gonostieta minima ). This species also 



