Nesting of fJir Blaclc-hmdrd Groshcak. 7 



As ro,£>-ards \ho\r f?'o,Tf?nonf, if siippliorl with a little 

 of some ,c:oo(l ins;rc*i'(^ mixliiro, i-ipr^ fruit, milk sop, and 

 sovoral liv(^ iiisonts daily will siiTiim^ for thoir wants. 



So fai- as tlio writor is awai'o only Z. paJprhrosa.ha^s 

 as yet "been Ivo 1 in captivity, while quite a larj^e number 

 of the species have not yet rea'^hed Great Britain alive. 



There are Jio mo^e c'^a^'m-n^ hirds imported than White- 

 eyes, they are mo-^tly of minute size, exquisite beauty, and 

 attractive demeanour, and above all are not diTicult to keep 

 fit, once the critieal period following- importation has been 

 passed. The story of their wild life has been told in back 

 Vols of "B.N." 



Nesting of the Black-headed Grosbeak. 



{Hcdi'mclcs wpJanncrphalus) . 

 By W. E. Teschemakee, B.A. 



This large, distinctive and very handsome species is one 

 of th(^ most charming birds that an aviarist could desire. 

 Larger than our Hawfinch, it is also far more brightly coloured, 

 more reachy and stylish. The glossy black head, rich chest- 

 nut breast and the contrasted black and white areas of the 

 wings of the male would make him a conspicuous object in 

 any company or against any background, and his powerful, 

 mellow, flute-like notes, which are heard both in the gloam- 

 ing and at rhe dawn of day, are also a great attraction. 

 Though a true Hawfinch, and armed with a formidable beak, 

 he does not possess the detestable temper of the British repre- 

 sentative of that fami'y; also he will, like his near relative — 

 Ihe Rose-breasted Grosbeak— readily breed fh cap'tivity whereas 

 a good many aviarists have, 1 thmk, come to tTie conclusion 

 that our Hawfinch is not a particularly easy species to breed. 

 T notic^ that even the remarRafify sanguine aviculturists, who 

 frequently write to the weekly press to tell us about the 

 Canary-Yellowhammer and other wonderful hybrids, which 

 they claim to have bred or are shortly going to breed, are 

 discreetly silent on tlie subject of Hawfinch hybrids. Lastly 

 let me add that this Grosbeak only comes on the market at 

 long intervals and then in very small numbers. 



The Bose-breasted Grosbeak restricts itself chiefly, as 



