(J nail I' niches. J39 



nest contained a lining; of rabbit's fur in addition to feathers). 

 The chUcli in this instance, however, only numbered three. The 

 ei:g-s hatched on the i8th May, or 18 days after the layin.y- of the 

 first c,Lj",i.i'. Tlie incubation period of this species appears to 

 d'ffer rather unexi)ectedly from that which is usual for other 

 small birds. The younj^- left the nest on the 4th June, but were 

 very weak on the winLi', and, I think, left the nest a bit too soon, 

 owing-, probably, to the fact that I runi^' them in the nest on 

 the previous evening". However, they throve well, and were 

 soon almost as strong and lusty as the youngsters from the hrst 

 nest. One pair of these youngsters went to our Editor's 

 aviaries, where I hope they may do as well for him as their 

 parents did for me; a second pair is booked to a well known 

 J'^ench aviculturist. 



A I'EW GENERAL REMAkKS. 

 Quail Finches are really charming and, in my opinion, 

 n.ost attractively coloured little fellows. The cock esi:)ecially 

 i^' a regular little dandy and keeps his plumage as spic and s'pan 

 as possible. They are. of all birds, the most peaceably disposed 

 and law abiding" citizens in a small mixed collection of various 

 species, both towards all other birds, as well as their own 

 species. Except during the actual excitement of the breeding 

 season I have never seen them take part even in the smallest 

 squabble. As this period approaches, however, the little cocks 

 grow more and more excited, and later possibly assault all and 

 sundry who venture to approach the vicinity of their nests with 

 much angry and excited chirruping". At such times the two 

 cocks frequently engage in pitched battles, rising into the air 

 vvuth shrill metallic chirps of indigmation. There the contest 

 is continued for a few seconds, after which each returns to his 

 own territory none the worse for the encounter, and from thence 

 each bursts forth into a comic little paean of victory. My old 

 birds seldon"! alight anywhere save on the ground, though when 

 disturbed they will sometimes perch on the top of an old ivv-clad 

 stump in their aviary, but one of my young hens, now in an 

 inside flight, perches as frequently i:p aloft as ui)on the ground. 

 Mr. Phillipps' description of their love song is, T think, a verv 

 ril)t one, so I am taking the lib?rtv of quoting" it /// c.vtcuso. 1 le 

 ^vrites as follows: — " When T was a boy. there was a certain 

 cottager's garden which had in it a large cherry tree, and vear 



