Early Episodes of 1913. 217 



loiow anything deOnite at present. One pair liave a nest in a 

 bank and tlie other at tiie root of a hazel tree; 1 think tiie 

 latter pair may have young, that is, judguig from the nsuai 

 signs— driving away all birds, eagerly eating of grass seeds 

 and promptly returning to the nest. 



Zeuka FiNCUES {Taeniopygia castanotis). All 1 need 

 remark of this well known but interesting species is, that a 

 number of young are on the wing. 



Bkueno's Finches (Sticloptera bichenovi). These 

 eluu-niing birds nested and laid while in the bird-room, but 

 the eggs proved infertile. 1 then put them in the out-door 

 aviary, since which they have agahi constructed a nest, but 

 there are no eggs at present. 



GouLDiAN Finches (Pocphila gouldm). These ai'ejust 

 coming through the moult, and one pair have taken possession 

 of a box, but they mostly still show traces of the moult on their 

 heads. JMy Yellow-headed Gouldian mated with a Red-headed 

 hen, and started to nest, but has felt the cold and given up,— - 

 he is not looking very tight in feather. 



Mannikins: There are two strong yomig Magpies on 

 the wing, and White-heads, Black-heads, Bronze-wings, and 

 Bib Finches are all nesting, but I can't say whether any have 

 got as far as eggs. 



Melba Finches (Pytelia melha). These went to ncbt 

 while still in the birdroom, constructing a nest of hay, lined 

 with feathers, in a lir-trce; two eggs were laid, but deserted 

 after incubating for two or three days. I then put them 

 outside, and they went to nest again at once, building a rather 

 larger nest of hay, which they again lined with feathers, in 

 the shelter shed. The incubation period is about up I should 

 say, and as I saw both birds off the nest eating gentles and 

 live ants" eggs, there may be young in the nest, for the birds 

 return to the nest immediately after feeding on the live food. 

 The cock bird has been on the nest a good deal during the 

 day-time. 



BruE-BitKASTED Waxbills {Estrilda angoloisis) . These 

 have nested, but there are no eggs up to the present. The 

 same applies to a Cordon Bleu mated to a Blue -breasted hen. 



Geey Waxbills (Estrilda cinerea). These have built 



