280 ^n Aviary Meant for Waders. 



St. Helena and Zebra Waxbills; Zebra Finches, and Cordon 

 Bleus, which all seem very fit. 



Nesting Accommodation: Besides straw hats, baskets, 

 boxes, etc., there are the trees, bushes, and herbage, (all 

 supplying natural nesting sites, which many of the little. 

 Finches seem to prefer. I have had but little time for 

 observation up to the present, so must leave the doings of 

 the birds for a future article. Tlie Knots like the tie beams 

 to stand on. When the Waders were first put in they iall 

 started to dig their bills into the ground for worms, re- 

 gardless of those who came to see the event, getting less 

 tame as their hunger was appeased. At times they seem to 

 take sudden fright, when I am inside without any ai)parent 

 cause. 



A Few Nesting Notes (July 29): The Zebra Waxbills 

 have built a nest, but I have not dared to examine it yet. 

 The Zebra Finches have sent their first two youngsters adrift to 

 look after themselves, and are iiiciib UiiiL,^ their second clutch. 

 The Avadavats hatched out about a week ago, I think there 

 are three, but I have left them alone for the present. There 

 are several nests in the trees but, they seem to change owner- 

 ship very often. The Bengalese certainly built the nost in 

 which the Avadavats now have their little family.. 



August 15th: Three young Avadavats have left the 

 nest are now fending for themselves. 



The Zebra Waxbills have young in the nest, apparently 

 doing well. 



Cordon Bleus are building, and the Bengalese have two 

 eggs, but all the four Zebra Finches are trying to oust them. 



There is one nest on the ground, among the grass, 

 which, I believe, belongs to the Sydney Waxbills — time will 

 show 1 



General: The birds (Waxbills, etc.) appear to like 

 the heat very much — we have a plague of wasps here, which 

 eat up the aviary fruit, but help to make provender for the 

 Curlews, who are continually catching and eating them (Capt. 

 Eeeve informs us that his Shama has caught and eaten the 

 wasps which enter his cage.— Ed). 



August 28th: Three young Zebra Waxbills left the nest 

 and they looked very strong and vigorous, but they have dis- 



