200 Three Pyteliae. 



merely one or two single, and rather mellow flute like sounds. 

 Dr. Euss succeeded in breeding these charming birds; 

 four eggs were laid and incubation lasted twelve days. Nest- 

 ling plumage dull blackish blue -grey, barred on the under 

 surface; shoulders, margins of wings, and tail, dull red; beak, 

 horn grey; legs blackish. The change to adult plumage is a 

 slow and gradual one. While Dr. C. S. Simpson considers 

 this bird harmless but uninteresting, the late Erskine AUon 

 {Avic. Mag., Ser. 1, Vol. III., page 125), eulogises it as 

 follows: "This is my favourite bird and I always keep four 

 "or live pairs at least. Confidirig, good-natured, and never 

 " ill when once acclimatised, I know no species that nests so 

 "readily, so successfully, arid with such regularity. The( 

 "pairs generally use coco-riut shells for nesting-boxes, placed 

 "side by side, and they are absolutely fearless. I have known 

 "a hen continue sitting wiiile the top of the nesting box was 

 "being scraped.'' I cannot trace that Mr. AUon ever pub- 

 lished any account of young birds actually reared, though the 

 above implies this; most aviculturists get no farther than 

 eggs. While perhaps not going quite so far as Mr. Allon they 

 are certainly most handsome and entertaining birds, and 'should 

 be in every collection of Waxbills and Finches. As regards 

 diet, my bii'ds bad access to ripe fruit, my usual soft food 

 mix;ture, sponge cake, canary, white and spray millet, and they 

 took a little of each; were very eager for an occasional meal- 

 worm, and nearly went wild with delight over a blighty spray 

 of rose foliage. They took a very thorough daily bath. They 

 settle down fairly quickly, and soon recognise the one who 

 supplies their needs, and if they do not often actually come 

 and take an insect from the band, they will soon take a meal- 

 worm six inches from your feet when cast on the ground. I 

 may be a faddist, but finding they seldom or never picked 

 at the cuttlefish, I always kept a supply of the same coarsely 

 crushed; this sprinkled on the sand appeared to help them 

 considerably in getting through the moult. They were about 

 half way through this when they came into my possession. 

 They are sun -loving creatures, and only seek shelter for a 

 brief space about midday. 



I may say in conclusion that they were kept in my 

 greenhouse bird room, in an enclosure 5 feet by 2\ feet by 



