228 Correspondence. 



STRAY NOTES 1913. 



Sir,- I have young Zeln-a Finches and Budgerigars on the wing, but 

 so has nearly everyone else and I only mention them en pasmnt. 



Bullfinches : These went to nest in the out-door aviary and on 

 May 24th, the first egg was laid, but they broke it, so I gave her a pot egg; 

 on the 25th, 26lh and 27th, other eggs were laid, taken away and replaced by 

 pot eggs, the last got broken and 1 then gave her back her own eggs, she sat 

 well, tut when she came off to feed on the 2'Jth, other birds broke the eggs. 

 She built another nest inside the shelter, but the cock became so vicious 1 

 had to take them out of the general aviary and put them into a smaller 

 adjoining one; this enclosure contained a pair of Japanese Hawfinches which 

 I thought were quite able to look after themselves. The cocks fought and in 

 consequence the Hawfinch is now dead and the Bullfinch anything but fit. 

 The hen Bullfinch is now (June 22nd.) sitting on eggs and I hope young will 

 be reared this tnne. 



BuLHULS : My Red-eared Bulbul mated to a cock Black Bulbul, laid 

 her first egg on Alay 12th, in a thrush's nest fixed in a cage. 4^ feet long by 

 4 feet high, also containing Shamahs, Cardinals etc She covered in the nest, 

 leaving an entrance hole in one side and laid three eggs, one got broken 

 almost at once and another the 12th day; on the 14th day she deserted, and 

 I gave the remaining egg away. She has since laid three more eggs, but as she 

 was sitting very irregularly 1 gave one to the Bulfinch and two to a Greenfinch 

 both of which are incubating, but 1 doubt the fertility of the eggs. 



Shamahs and ViiuiiNiAN Cakdinals : These occupied the cage with 

 the Bulbuls and both pairs have mated, the cock Shamah has commenced to 

 construct a nest, but they disturb each other, and for lack of accommodation 

 I cannot separate them, so I doubt there being any result. 



Chaffinch x Canaey : These birds had frequently paired and on 

 April 1st, the first egg was laid, followed in due course by four others— a 

 Siskin ate two, twj were infertileandone was filled but did not hatch out. On 

 May 27th, pairing again took place and in due c(jurse a clutch of four eggs 

 was deposited, none of them hatched out, two being infertile and two addled. 

 Red-Headed Finch x Cutthroat : On May 3 1st, four chicks of 

 this cross were hatched out. On June 4th, one picked up dead in flight and 

 the other three doing well. About June 10th, one young hybrid had the Red 

 band on the throat and rod on the forehead, the other two are hens. On 

 June 20th they left the nest and on the 22nd were quite strong on the wing and 

 very pretty birds. 'J'he two hens are not alike, one having scarcely any mark- 

 ings on the breast. The red on the head is not very strong as yet in the young 

 cock, but the red band on the throat is very rich and deep, and is thick all 

 across, not having tapering ends as in the cock Cutthroat ; his breast mark- 

 ings are not so distinct as those of the Red-headed Finch, but he may differ 

 materially after the moult. I had to supply mealworms liberally, as while 

 they were feeding young, the Red-headed Finch would eat more than a dozen 

 and then go stridght away and feed its babies by regurgitating the meal- 

 worms it had eaten. , ^ , 



Cutthkoats : On June 5th a brood was hatched, but hearmg very 

 little noise I examined the nest on the lUth and found only one chick alive 



