8 Australian Finches in Calif uiiiia. 



more to him than any of his own kind. It one would take the 

 trouble to mate such a bird to one of his own kind, and I imagine 

 it would be possible, if not with that particular bird, with others 

 like him, after a few generations what an almost uncanny 

 monstrosity in the way of a talking- parrot he would obtain, for 

 surely the same law that shows itself in the breeding" of canary 

 birds and pigeons, and in fact anything, would hold true and the 

 adaptability for cage life and the imitation of the human voice 

 would be greatly increased. 



I am afraid I am rambling on too long, so I am going to 

 stop with the request that you cut out all or any part of this 

 paper that you see fit. 



-<>>-f<>- 



Aiistralian Finches in California. 



By J. F. GoYTiNo. 



It is not very probable that the readers of Bird Notes are 

 acquainted with the avicultural conditions existing just now. 

 after the war, in the United States of America. Soon after our 

 entrance in the great European conflict the birds were placed in 

 the non-essential class by our Federal War Trade Commission 

 and the importation of exotic birds stopped ipso facto. Stimu- 

 lated instead of being discouraged by the embargo our American 

 aviculturists made bon civur coiifrc inaiiz'aisc fortune, and, 

 abandoning — I hope for ever — their old easy ways of having 

 their aviaries exclusively attended by their servants, mostly 

 Japanese, started in earnest to add to their avicultural population 

 by encouraging and watching the breeding of their birds, the 

 Australian Finches being the most numerous amongst them. 



The Gouldians (Pocf^hila gouldicc) had already many 

 autc-hcllum admirers; it was difficult to find a first class aviary. 

 especially in California, without two or three pairs of Black- 

 headed (P. gouldicc) or Ked-headed (P. niirahilis). — The 

 Yellow-headed (P. armitiana) is a rara avis indeed, as I have 

 never seen one yet. These exotic beauties get acclimatized 



