10 The Breddmcf of Grei/ -headed + Cape Sparroios. 



dominating-. Last year (1911) after several failures, owi*ng 

 to the intolerance of these 5irds of any interference with 

 their nesting arrangements, such notes as I was then 

 aore to secure I have unfortunately mislaid. 



Two young were hatched, however, and were fending 

 for themselves, when they were hoth murdered by another 

 species of Sparrow inhabiting tiie same aviary. 



In the earlier portion of the past season (1912) the 

 samp lack of success dogged the efforts of these two birds, 

 arising from the same cause, and the net result of repeated 

 attempts is one young bird fully reared (now in mature 

 plumage), a male. 



I will commence with a description of the plumage 

 of this young bird: Ci'own of head Wuish grey; nape and 

 mantle washed with olive-brown; wing coverts, lower back, 

 rump, and upper tail coverts bright chestnut; flights brown; 

 tail-feathers brown with darker margins: underparts greyish - 

 white washed Avith brown; beak darkish horn -colour; feet 

 light brown; iris brown. 



From the above it will be seen that the young hybrid 

 is almost a replica of its male parent and shows none of 

 the striking black and white plumage of the Cape Sparrow. 



In size, the young hybrid is a little smaller than its 

 male parent. 



Re Breeding operations: I have found it quite im- 

 possible to obtain strictly accurate notes as to the period of 

 incubation and nestling plumage, for as I have already men- 

 tioned, the slightest interference or noticed inquisitiveness on 

 my part caused either the devouring, or instant desertion of 

 dheir eggs, and in the case of young, unless over four days 

 old, close observation resulted in infanticide. 



Thus it was impossible for me to definitely ascertain 

 when incubation actually commenced or terminated, the latter 

 I could only ascertain by hearing the young call for food, 

 and the former by there only being one bird about at a time 

 —I can only compute the incubation period by methods as 

 above at fourteen days [12 to 13 days is the average period 

 for Passer.— Ed]. The young left the nest three weeks after 

 they were first heard calling for food. 



