I'isits to Members' Ai'iarics. 225 



coloured Mannikiiis " — during" the portions of the day, when all 

 diurnal creatures are active, grassfinches do their bit to make 

 the world go round — these also were active during the morning 

 and evening hours, adolescence only being evident during the 

 early afternoon — I must make two exceptions, viz : the Alasked 

 (jrasstinch and (iouldian Finch; both these are certainly 

 lethargic species, the latter especially so, for in spite of bizarre, 

 piebald colouration, it was, to the writer, the one dull and 

 uninteresting species in the aviary; they had not gone to nest 

 (a recent letter from Capt. Rattigan informs me that they have, 

 since my visit, nested and brought forth one young bird), a;nd 

 the only things they seemed to wake up for were to feed, bathe, 

 and preen their plumage, and except at these brief periods their 

 bright colouration was not sulKicient to lift them from the dull 

 and uninteresting". Of course, to the student, all bird-life is 

 interesting", whatever the colour of their garments or their 

 characteristics may be, but I have written as they appeared to 

 me, as I sat meditatively observing them, with an eye to Copy 

 tor Bird Notes, during my ten days' visit. 



As 1 have already said young birds are removed when able 

 to look after themselves, so that only one or two instances of 

 family parties were in evidence, viz : Cuban and Zebra Finches, 

 Cordon Blues and Rufous-backed Mannikins, and fascinating" 

 l)ictures they made, too, foraging in their family groups amid 

 the herbage, then as the parent birds picked something up, 

 came the plaintive, querulous call of the young to be fed — how 

 the Zebra Finch family group forced themselves into 

 notice, as they backed away from their parents and yelled 

 " blue murder" for grub. How keen at live-food time was 

 the competition to obtain the largest supply among the various 

 species, both parents filHng their beaks and making alternate 

 visits to the nests while the supply lasted. I must pause, as 

 this description is getting too lengthy though one would fain 

 hrger. 



Large Birds' Scetion : This was occupied mostly by 

 Cardinals and quarrelsome individuals ejected from the Smaill 

 Birds' Section. It contaiined the following species : 



I pair Green Cardinals {Gnbernatrix cristata). 



I pair Gre}' Cardinals (Paroaria cucnUata). 



I pair Virginian Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis). 



I pair Lilac-crowned Fruit-Pigeons {P til opus coromilatus) 



