157 



Habitat, Central America and South America to 

 Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia,; specimens from the different 

 localities are said to vary considerably in colour. 



This bird appears to have been first imported in 

 1894, (I am open to correction); Mr. Fillmer who had 

 one about that time found it at first peaceable, then 

 later it took to chasing its fellow captives about ; 

 Mr. R. A. Todd who possessed a pair in 1895. found 

 them eager for insects ; the late Mr. Erskine Allon, 

 who also had a pair or pairs, described the female as very 

 similar to the hen Combasou, and his birds were eager 

 for insects. Mr. Fillmer's bird on the contrary would 

 eat nothing but seed. 



In demeanour and also in shape my bird strongly 

 resembles a Waxbill, in fact as to size and shape it 

 comes very near to the Aurora Finch, a pair of which 

 are occupants of the same aviary. It has a very sweet 

 and fairly strong Waxbill - like trill, and like the 

 Waxbills is scarcely ever still, the tail, except when 

 the owner is asleep, being a very fair example of 

 perpetual motion. When feeding, my bird does not 

 permit any other to approach the seed dish, but other- 

 wise it is quite peaceable, and when it has satisfied its 

 appetite, the other birds are allowed to do the same 

 without interference. I have much regretted being 

 unable to get a female as the male is very fond of 

 carrying a straw about, and I should say would readily 

 breed in a suitable aviary. My bird is very eager 

 after insects, viz. mealworms, earwigs, and spiders* 

 His diet consists of canary, white, and spray millet, 

 green food, and a little insectile mixture.* He helps 



•This mixture consists of " Game " meal, atits' cocoons, dried flies, and 

 crushed biscuits, with sometimes a little boiled potato in equal parts, and 

 made crumbly moist. 



