i68 Early Experienced 



Sparrows. Bramble and Greenfinches. Soon, however, they 

 settled down, and then were more than able to hold their own, 

 though I never discovered them as being the aggressors in the 

 many squabbles that occurred in the aviary. Within a week of 

 their arrival they were busy examining the various nesting boxes 

 with which the aviary was abundantly furnished, visiting almost 

 each one in turn. Then began a frenzied carrying of ne.sting 

 material into the one of their choice, but only to give it up and 

 repeat their operations in another box ; and similar procedure 

 occurred with a third receptacle, only to be given up in its turn; 

 then they turned their attention to the middle section of a three 

 compartment nest-box, the side sections of which were occupied 

 by pairs of Silverbills and Java Sparrows respectively. They 

 carried in a huge amount of material, almost closing up 

 the entrance to the box. so that a peep inside was impossible. 

 While these operations were going on the excitement of Mr. 

 Ribbon Finch was immense, and I can well recall that my own 

 was scarcely less. Suddenly he sobered down, and except when 

 feeding spent the whole of his time'either in the nest or entrance 

 of same, scaring off any other bird that dared to approach by 

 his simply unprintable language. Then after a short interval 

 one mornmg pandemonium reigned supreme in the aviary and 

 by careful li.'^tening I heard faint hissing sounds from the nest, 

 and the excitement of Mr. Ribbon Finch was at fever-heat, and 

 his visits between the nest-box and food \'essels were very fre- 

 quent, while I did not glimpse his wife the whole day. The next 

 morning I had a shock, for. on visiting the aviary, benealh the 

 nest-box there lay Mr. Ribbon dead. Very sadly I picked him 

 up and carefully examined his body; his plumage was as tight, 

 brilliant, and silky as it was possible for a Ribbon Finch to be: 

 he was plump, and no sign of injm-y was visible — his skin is now 

 in my cabinet — in the light of later experience I have concluded 

 the cause of his death was cerebral hemorrhage following the 

 excitement of the appearance of a family of young Ribbon 

 Finches in the nest. 



I was very sad, as I saw my hopes of rearing the young 

 Ribbons shattered. Mrs. Ribbon, however, had other views, 

 and instead of wasting her time in useless grief she set about 



