Early Episodes of 1913. 219 



Himalayan CIkkkximnciiks {IIj/pacanthKs spinoides). 

 Tlu-sc wuic procuicd Irom the coiisigriinent of Tndiaii liirds re- 

 cently brought over by Major Perreau are looking lovely, but 

 except that they go about together are showing but little in- 

 clination to go to newt. 



Maskki) GuAs.sFiN(nES {I'ocpliila personata). I have 

 several pairs and one pair is certainly incubating, but the 

 other pairs have got no further than nest construction at 

 [)re6ent. 



Beakdkd Tits (Paiiuru-s hiarmicus) are pairing, Ijut 

 no signs of nests, owing, 1 think, to the lack of reeds and a 

 proper place to build in. 8ibeiuan Bullfinches have just 

 ht'en put out, and they have promptly cleared oil" the buds 

 fi'om brambles, currants, privet, roses, etc., -however there 

 is plenty for them in the way of buds, and I hope they, may 

 breed. 



PixK-BiiuWED RosEFiNCH (Pfopasscr ihodochroHs). 

 These all arrived out of colour, therefore the males at any 

 rate were immature, and no plumatic change has, as yet 

 taken place, consequently nesting has not been expected. 

 However, for some time they were quite energetic, carrying 

 building material into a rush nest, but have now given it up 

 for the time being. 



Hybkidisixg. An odd Parrot Finch (cf) and a Cuban 

 Finch have mated and built a nest, but there are no eggs at 

 time of writing. My odd Red-headed Finch (Amadina erythro- 

 cephala) has mated up with a Cutthroat {A. fasciata) hen, but 

 I had to remove them from the general aviary as they go and 

 lie in other birds' nests. I put them in an extra aviary I 

 liave, where they at once went to nest and hatched out three 

 young birds, which died for want of proper food~-we were 

 not aware they had young and no live food or ants' eggs was 

 supplied. They are again incubating another clutch of eggs. 



All the birds eat huge quantities of seeding grass -, we 

 put in large bundles three times a day, and it is soon stripped 

 though there is plenty in the aviary growing naturally— 

 tJicy all cat it. 



DOVES AND PIGEONS. 



.Plumed Ghound Doves {Lophophaps Icucogaster). 

 These handsome Doves have laid three clutches of eggs, but, 



