BIRD NEWS 



plan to take a nest from her, with 

 a cock canary. As soon as paired 

 take the cock canary out of the cage, 

 placing the finch in a separate cage 

 within sight and hearing of the fe- 

 male canary. Many of the fancy say 

 the goldfinch will never pair, until 

 he is "clear in beak," i. e., until the 

 pencil line on ridge of upper mandi- 

 ble has disappeared. This fact has 

 sufficient coincidence with reproduc- 

 tion to make it worthy of observa- 

 tion. The best cage for goldie-mule 

 breeding is the three division style, 

 •each division being about 12 by 14 

 inches, box patterns. 



In caring for the eggs, follow direc- 

 tions as given in serial on the Canary. 

 The finch needs close watching, better 

 remove him just prior to the laying of 

 each egg and remove finally when the 

 third is laid. He will then turn his 

 attention to the second female. Re- 

 peat the progress. There is no advan- 

 tage, but considerable risk by leaving 

 the finch during the incubation or af- 

 ter the chicks appear for few goldies 

 make good parents — to hybirds. 

 Treat the birds just as in canary-rais- 

 ing, noting however that young mules 

 are very "cranky" and should be sep- 

 arated after they begin to moult. In 

 attempting other varieties of mules 

 proceed along the same lines. In al- 

 most all cases the finch must be the 

 male, except in the case of the Bull- 

 finch where a hen finch is always 

 used. 



Several of the smaller foreign fin- 

 ches will also cross, and produce very 

 attractive specimens. 



In exhibiting mules size, color, 

 steadiness and markings with good 

 staging are the points to be counted 

 upon. 



THE GOULDIAN FINCH. 



(Poephila mirabilis). 



May a prosperous New Year be the 

 experience of all our bird-friends. 



By Wesley T. Page, F. C. S., London. 



I have used one specific name for 

 this bird, since the Red, Black and 

 Yellow Headed variations are cei"- 

 tainly not species but merely varie- 

 ties of the same species; however as 

 specific distinction has been given, 

 and there is strong propability of the 

 Yellow-headed variety being perpet- 

 uated as a race, the present specific 

 names (as under) may be regarded 

 as a convenience. 



Red-head, (P. mirabilis); Black- 

 head, (P. gouidiae); Yellow-head, 

 (P. armitiana) ; 



The different varieties readily in- 

 terbreed, and their progeny appears 

 to come true, i.e. either Red-heads 

 or Black-heads; and both varieties 

 frequently occur in the same brood. 

 It must be noted that Black-heads 

 mostly procure their own kind, and 

 the Red-heads the same; but at the 

 same time this is not absolute, for 

 we have a fully authenticated rec- 

 ord that Dr. Ramsay bred all three 

 varieties (Blacks, Reds and Yellows) 

 from a pair of Black-heads in his 

 Australian aviary. This experience 

 is not an isolate one, but the Yellow- 

 headed variety is extremely uncom- 

 mon. There is nothing remarkable 

 in imported birds of the same color 

 producing mixed broods, for a Black- 

 headed female in captivity will in- 

 variably choose a Red-headed mate, 

 even though there be several vigo- 

 rous well colored specimens of her 

 own kind present; fro mthe free- 

 dom with which this choice is made, 

 I am of opinion that the two colors 

 freely interbreed in a wild state. 



Gouldian Finches, with their versi 

 colored plumage, vie in beauty with 

 any of Australia's many hued and 

 gorgeously apparelled birds. They 

 are only lacking in one respect, and 



