The Cherry Finch. 207 



nesting- on and off the whole season. 



Two cocks and one hen are still aHve and thriving, and 

 mostly show themselves whenever the aviary is visited or passed. 



Beyond snapping up an occasional insect, and eating 

 freely of the growing herbage in the aviary, their diet with me 

 is an entirely seed one. 



Mr. J. Cronkshaw was the first to rear this species in this 

 country (1895), when one young bird was fully reared. Since 

 the initial success other aviculturists have been successful in 

 breeding the Cherry Finch, but, though easy to breed it certainly 

 is not a prolific species in captivity. 



My readers must not infer from the above that the species 

 is a delicate one, quite the reverse, but like many other species 

 of hardy birds, the hens cannot stand cold wet periods at the 

 time of egg laying. 



Much more might be said of their mannerisms at various 

 periods of the year, but space and paper are precious in these 

 times; moreover I do not desire to exhaust the subject, as I hope 

 other members will send in articles upon this pretty little finch. 



<^^-^ 



Stray Notes in My Birdroom. 



By Mrs. J. H. Burgess. 



The following notes cover the whole of this season up to 

 August 29th. 



My birdroom and indoor flights were described in an 

 earlier issue of Bird Notes, so I need not refer to these again. 



Zebra Finches. — These charming mites constructed a 

 really wonderful nest of grasses, etc., in a Hartz travelling-cage 

 suspended in their flight. The nest is built inside the cage, but 

 all round the outside it is stuffed with all kinds of grasses and 

 it is impossible to see the nest proper without entering the flight 

 and making a close examination; then one sees a round long- 

 shaped nest, running from the front to back of cage like a tun- 

 nel, and right at the back sits Mrs. Zebra incubating a clutch of 

 eggs. So far no young have been reared, though several clutches 

 of eggs have been laid. The cock bird carried all materials and 

 worked as though his life depended upon it. Small as he is, no 

 other bird dare go near his nest — quick march is the word to 

 all intruders. 



