Early Experiences 169 



satisfyitii^" the wants of her famliy, but, I noticed, she did not 

 seem entirely satisfied with either the seed or the soft food so I 

 scattered on the ground some dried ants' " eggs," she went to 

 these at once, ate a lot, then went to the nest and came out 

 again for another supply — four times daily I scattered a handful 

 of these ants' eggs on the ground (fortunately the other birds 

 ignored this provender), and she seemed satisfied. All went well 

 and she not only fed her babies (I did not know how many, but 

 sound proclaimed more than one), but successfully defended her 

 nest against all comers. About fourteen days after Mr. Rib- 

 bon's death she triumphantly led forth three young Ribbon 

 Finches out of the security of the nest, and did not allow the 

 other inmates to interfere with them. 



The voung consisted of one male and two females, and 

 the rubv throat band of the former was very brilliant and full 

 size on the morning he made his exit from the nest. 



A little later both the Silverbills and Java SjKirrows 

 brought forth families from the compartments on either side of 

 the Ribbon Finches" nest. 



The young Ribbon Finches were reared to maturity, and 

 the young male mated to his mother brought several families 

 into the world the next season, in the same aviary. 



Since those early days I have bred successfully quite a 

 large number of foreign species, including some softbills, yet 

 I cannot recall that in any after event was the pleasurable 

 excitement so great as in the common-place event re-told above; 

 for it was my initial sttccess with foreign species. 



With this little yarn 1 do not think I can do better than 

 conclude, at any rate for the present, these " Early Experi- 

 ences," or title and matter will not agree. Penned by request, 

 and to fill up a gap during shortage of copy, the writer hopes 

 that some of the yoitnger and newer recruits to aviculture may 

 derive some little help and encouragement therefrom. 



^0»<> • 



