II 



the end of that time both were in fine condition and 

 fairly tame. I put them together in a large cage of the 

 box pattern, with wire in front only, and measuring 

 4 ft. long by 3 ft. high, and 2 ft. deep, fitted with two 

 doors in the back, with little shelves for seed-hopper 

 and water fountain respectively, and a door on the top 

 at the right hand corner to admit of access to the 

 nest. The cage was also fitted with two trays, one for 

 sand, the other for earth (renewed every other day), 

 and these were made to pull out at the back. I placed 

 the cage facing a bow window, and arranged several 

 pots containing the usual window plants in front of 

 the cage, to make the surroundings as natural as 

 possible. In the right side of the cage I fixed a small 

 fir branch, and at the top of this a circular wire 

 structure, which I lined with moss. In this the birds 

 built a nest of hay, feathers, and pieces of chickweed, 

 commencing operations within an hour of their entry 

 of their new abode and finishing the nest the first 

 day. 



Having previously spoiled the efforts of other 

 pairs by too much examination of the nest, I deter- 

 mined to leave this pair alone, and did not even peep 

 at the nest for fully four weeks, when I found three 

 tiny youngsters. Five eggs had been laid, one 

 being unfertile, and the fifth I found on the floor of 

 the cage, where it had evidently been laid, as it was 

 unbroken. 



I fed the birds on w^hite and spray millet, and a 

 mixture of yolk of egg, ants' eggs (so-called), and 

 grated carrot, but this mixture was seldom touched, so 

 I discontinued it. I also supplied chickweed fresh 

 every morning, and, after discovering the young, I 

 gave a few mealworms cut in halves at 7 a.m., noon, 

 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. 



The three young are now nearly as large as the 

 parents, but still have the tiny white beads on each 



