^3^ 



huddled up against it on the perch, and will allow 

 itself to be bullied in the most impudent way by 

 those lyilliputiau tyrants the Grey and Green Singing 

 Finches. 



When we come to its colour it is by no means 

 unpleasing. Green and yellow arranged mainly after 

 the same pattern as in the Yellow-browed Seed-eater 

 and Green Singing Finch, though perhaps a trifle less 

 bright and distinct than in those birds, give it an 

 unmistakable look of cousin-ship to them. 



Of its song I cannot judge. The one specimen 

 that I have kept in my bird colony was a female, 

 which paired up with a Linnet, but unfortunately did 

 not la3% though she built a nest in a Hartz cage. By 

 way of contrast with her usual behaviour, her conduct 

 while engaged on the construction of the nest was full 

 of spirit, for although she never attempted to maltreat 

 her companions, she scarcel}^ ever let five minutes go 

 by without a vigorous tug of war with some Canary 

 or Greenfinch over a bent of hay or other nesting 

 material that they had both a mind to. 



According to my Colonial acquaintance the nest 

 in the wild state is built in a low bush, and the eggs 

 are like our Linnet's but something larger. 



Judging from its commonness in its native home 

 and the ease of communication between that country'' 

 and this, one would expect to see this bird very 

 frequently in the dealers' shops, but such is not the 

 case. 



Like all the Serins and indeed most foreign birds, 

 if it can be brought over here without contracting 

 -Septicaemia on the voyage from the usual filthy 

 conditions, it is a very hardy bird and stands our 

 climate quite well in an outdoor aviary all the year 

 round. 



