79 



the Common, Dark-red Australian Firefinch, or in- 

 deed all the other species which are commonly called 

 Firefinches. Its main characteristics being the spots, 

 with which not only the sides, but also the whole 

 breast are covered. I have named it from them, " the 

 Spotted Firefinch." Again the Latin name rujopicta 

 is by no means a happy one. 



[To be continued). 



}6^ltorlaL 



NIGHTINGALES BREEDING IN CAPTIVITY:— 



By the kindness of a correspondent I have been 

 favoured with the following information with reference 

 to my note at the foot of Dr. Greene's article in the 

 issue of last month. The gentleman who made a 

 speciality of breeding these birds was, as I thought, an 

 inhabitant of Kidderminster, a Mr. Jeffrey, living in 

 Mill Street. His aviaries appear to have been of much 

 the same architectural character as my own — just a 

 range of open sheds and enclosures, in which he 

 grew various shrubs and plants. In each compart- 

 ment was a single pair of birds, and they generally 

 built their nests at the foot of one of the bushes (pre- 

 ferably a privet), in the manner mentioned by Dr. 

 Greene. 



A small stream of water coursed from end to end 

 of the aviaries, so that, what with this and the growing 

 plants, the Nightingales could hardly have wished for 

 a better imitation of their natural .surroundings. 

 For some years, at any rate, their owner is said to have 

 been successful in breeding them, and in getting the 

 young reared. 



