254 



This species was bred in Kngland by Mr. Wiener 

 and others more than twent}- years ago. It has been 

 bred many times since, bnt not so freqnently as might 

 liave been expected. 



Soon after my four arrived, I felt satisfied that there 

 was at least one true pair among them, but I have never 

 been able to tell the individuals apart. After keeping 

 them for some time in an aviary without nest boxes, 

 where some desultory attempts at nest-building were 

 made in the boughs — I turned the four into a rather 

 larger bird-room aviary, with a mixed collection of 

 Waxbills and Mannikins, acock Zebra Finch, and a Pin- 

 tailed Whydah. This aviary measures about 5 feet in 

 breadth, depth, and height, and contains three nest 

 boxes, all more or less filled with hay by the birds. A 

 few weeks ago I missed one of the Double-bands— that 

 is to say, I could only see three of them. I began to fear 

 that the fourth had either escaped, or died in a nest box, 

 when I heard a sound of young birds being fed. A good 

 many days passed, and still only three Double-banded 

 Finches were visible. Occasionally I heard the sound of 

 young birds, but as I never saw the parents entering or 

 leaving a nest box, I began to doubt the evidence of my 

 ears and think that the noise was caused by some Bronze 

 Mannikins quarrelling. At last I became impatient and 

 climbed into the aviary — (it is an " upper store}'," 5ft. 

 from the floor) — but though I looked into each nest box 

 I could see nothing, and came out fairly well satisfied that 

 there were no young birds. After this I could sometimes 

 see four Double-bands, and the noise of feeding was still 

 heard. On the 3rd of October there were undoubtedly 

 five Double-bands in the aviary, and one of these, distin- 

 guishable by its smaller size and dingier appearance, was 

 clearly a young one. A few days after another young 

 one made its appearance. 



The young were reared almost entirely- on seed — 

 chiefly, I fancy, " Indian " Millet. But green food was 

 supplied with some degree of regularity, and a small 

 supply of insectivorous food, containing a large propor- 



