4 Breeding; of Sidney Waxbills. 



My aviary is unheatcd, and 20ft. long. It consists 

 of a shelter, store-room, covered and uncovered fli.^lits. The 

 floor is gravelled ; there is a strip of grass, but ni> growing- 

 trees. Nesting accommodation is provided by boxes, Ijundles 

 of pea-sticks, etc. 



I purchased throe Sydney Waxbills in Marcli, 191^. 

 They seemed Very healthy, and after keeping them caged 

 for a m.onth I put them into the aviary. At this period all 

 three were absolutely indistinguishable from each other, and 

 continued so for tjie whole of the year. In the early spring 

 of 1 91 6 one of them developed a curious little black bib, 

 similar to that of a siskin, but this may be only a chance 

 variation. It is the only distinguishing mark I have been 

 able to find. 



The birds made no attempt at nesting during 19' 5. 

 They wintered out of doors in jx^rfect health, on canary and 

 millet seed al()nt\ without insectile or any kind of soft-food. 



Early in March (igi6), a grotesquely large nest was 

 built in a bundle of pea-sticks, constructed with hay, canary 

 grass grown the previous summer, and lined with cotton 

 wool. It ^was dome-shaped, with a side entrance. Immedi- 

 ately behind it another similar, but smaller nest was made. 

 Most careful observation convinced me that a'l three birds :-at 

 in both nests indiscriminately, and neithr then, nor since 

 have I 'seen any conduct which indicates se.\ in any of them. 

 Soon after the nest was completed we had a blizzard, which 

 cost me a lovely Aurora Finch, and a Bicheno's Finch, both 

 egg-bound; but the Sydneys flourished as before, except that 

 all interest in the nests vanished. I usually remove discarded 

 nests, and entered the aviary one day with that intention, but 

 some impulse made me leave them alone, antl at the end of 

 May the largest nest was furbished up again, and the birds 

 settled down to breeding. During the whole period all three 

 birds haunted the neighbourhood of the nest, and I 

 never identified the two parents, except tiiat the bird with 

 the bib was 'one. Incubation was less close than with many 

 species, as all three birds were often visible and almost 



