The Endurance of Birds. 37 



well all through the summer, but the autumn proved cold and 

 very wet, and 1 missed them in September; a search amid the 

 herbage brought to light their bodies partly decomposed. 



In all respects, as to hardness and endurance, they are on 

 a par with the Common Firefinch, of which details have already 

 been given and need not be repeated here. 



1 have no note of this species having been successfullv 

 l^red in this country. 



Cherry Finch ( Aidcmosync jiwdesta). As I have 

 already written an article on this species fairly recently, but 

 little space need be occupied with it here. 



It is quite ready to go to nest and lay clutches of eg'gs, 

 but it is not a prolific breeder: few young are hatched out, and 

 less still fully reared. 



The nest is a fairly bulky sphere, with an entrance hole 

 at the front. It is a more compactly and neatly built structure 

 than the exterior leads one to suppose, as the ends of the 

 grasses and bents, of which it is composed, are allowed to 

 l^roject, imparting a ragged and untidy appearance externally 

 to what is really a neat and well constructed nest. 



The eggs are white, and the average incubation period is 

 thirteen days. 



My last specimens, two pairs, were received in 1916 (a 

 gift from our member Mr. Arnold, who privately imported a 

 limited number of them ) ; one cock died a few weeks after arrival, 

 and an incursion of rats robbed me of the others, but not before 

 several nests had been Inn'lt and young hatched out, but not 

 reared. One of these nests was kindly drawn by Mrs. A. M 

 Cook {vide Vol. viii., X.S., p. 266). 



They are hardy, and can be successfully wintered out of 

 doors. 



They are very pretty, modest little birds, having similar 

 habits and characteristics to the well known Silverbill. Though 

 somewhat plainly clad, their prettily contrasted plumage makes 

 them quite conspicuous objects in the aviary, and they are 

 mostly " in the picture," 



