96 



Others to decide, though I must say from the description 

 iveu that it seems just likely that these birds were immature 

 specimens of L. rubricata. 



The letter, a particularly interesting one, describing so 

 faithfully the delights of a mixed aviary, I give in full, as well 

 as the Doctor's remarks on it's subject, omitting however the 

 latter's lengthy description of the two sexes, as what he says as 

 to the difference between Duhring's birds and L. riibricata is 

 sufficient for our purpose. Herr Duhring's letter is as follows: 

 *' In the autumn of 1876 I received from a friend, 

 '* who had just returned with his ship from the Ben- 

 *' guela coast, a number of ornamental finches, among 

 " which were some birds, specimens of which maj^ 

 *'have been imported before, but of whicli I can find 

 " no mention in scientific works. So eager to breed 

 *' were these birds, a cock and two hens, that they at 

 " once began to carry nest-sttiff into a nest which had 

 " been commenced by a St. Helena Waxbill and then 

 " deserted, a nest fastened beneath a covered basket 

 *' hanging in the aviary. The two hens were easily 

 " distinguished, as one was bare on the back, and I 

 " observed that in the morning at 5 or 6 o'clock this 

 " one took the place of the other one on the nest and 

 " sat till about 9 o'clock, when the cock entered the 

 "nest, where he remained till 2 o'clock ; at this hour 

 " his place was taken for a short time by the first hen 

 " while he ate and drank, after which he returned till 

 " about 8 o'clock, when the second hen relieved him 

 " and settled herself on the nest for the night ; this 

 " routine was carried out regularly every day. Alas, 

 " my hopes were to be grievously dashed ! As I men- 

 " tioned, the birds had built a round nest suspended be- 

 " Iowa hanging nest-basket, using grass-stems, thread, 

 " bits of rag, feathers etc. to form it's walls, in one side 



