no Baby Birds at Home 



most branch of some favourite tree or bush 

 in order to utter its shrill canary-like song, 

 the greater part of which is delivered whilst 

 the bird is gliding downwards again with 

 outspread wings and tail, and legs dangling 

 below its body. It also frequently sings 

 whilst seated on its favourite perch. The 

 call-note sounds something like "trit, trit" 

 or " (sip, t'sip" 



The food of this species consists of in- 

 sects of all kinds, and the writer has seen a 

 female leave her nest in order to catch a 

 small snail, whilst it was climbing a grass 

 stem a loot or two away. 



The nest is made in the shelter of a tuft 

 of grass, and is composed of rootlets and 

 moss with an inner lining of fine dead grass 

 and hair. 



From four to six eggs are laid of very 

 variable coloration. Some are greyish 

 white tinged with purple and marked with 

 purple, brown, and red spots, whilst others 

 are dull white with dark brown markings. 



The chicks are fed by both parent birds, 

 and when they leave the nest soon learn to 

 secure their own food. 



