Breeding of Green Cardinals. H21 



The clutch consisted of three blue eggs, dotted with a 

 few b'ack spot^, a Vepli-a of a Thrush's eg^ hut smaller. The 

 first Qgg was laid on May IStli, and incubation commenced the 

 same day. During the period of incubation, which lasted 

 fourteen days, the cock displayed no interest in the proceedings, 

 and never appeared to relieve the hen on the nest. 



The first Qgg hatched on June 3rd, and the other two 

 on subsequent days. With the hatching of the first Qgg there 

 was a great change in the demeanour of the cock, he became, 

 if possible, even more attentive than the hen, to the needs of 

 his family, and Was ever on the prowl for tit -bits. 



The young birds grew apace and flourished exceed- 

 ingly, as indeed they could hardly fail to have done with 

 such attentive parents, and were fed entirely on ants' " eggs," 

 supplemented with a i'ew mealworms, which I supplied twice a 

 day morning and evening. AH went well for about ten days, 

 when one morning the old birds sitting disconsolately about, 

 were not going near the nest. Of course there could only be 

 one reason for such behaviour and on looking into the nest 

 found, as I expected that the young were dead. This dis- 

 aster was caused by the forgetfulness of my aviary boy, who 

 had apparently forgotten to supply the birds with the second 

 instalment of ants' " eggs " on the previous afternoon, and 

 the young had consequently starved to death. 



It was really very disappointing and provoking, but 

 one has tnany such disappointments when endeavouring to breed 

 birds and grows gradually resigned to them. However, J 

 am glad to say that in this case the disappointment was but 

 temporary and my hopes were soon raised again by the 

 prompt re-commencement of nesting operations. 



The second nest was constructed on the top of a nest- 

 box (a pair of Zebra Pinches were busy rearing a family 

 inside), in a similar position to the jirevious nest and about 

 nine feet from the ground. This nest was much more bulky 

 than the first one, but the materials used were similar. 



On July 1st the nest contained four eggs. Soon after 

 this there were one or two heavy thunderstorms, and as the 

 nest was in an uncovered position, I sought to help them 

 by having the wire above it covered with matting, to save, 

 it, if possible, from the effects of the deluge. The hen, how- 



