The Endurance of Birds. 179 



aniitl the folia.^^e in close proximity to the nest, and one could 

 only observe them from some hidden observation post. 1 

 believe they slept in the nest for the first few nights — a little 

 later it was very pleasing to watch the family party when they 

 were less retiring, but soon their parents commenced nesting 

 again, and the young were not allowed to come near the nest, 

 and apparently the ]iarents lost all interest in their progeny. 

 The young males came into full colour the following season 

 simultaneously with their parents, both first and second broods. 



This account lias got too lengthy, and it speaks for itself 

 as to the interest and pleasin"e it gave the writer. 



The juvenile plumage resembles that of the female parent, 

 but has a mealy appearance, and is of a less warm tone, being 

 somewhat of a drabbish hue. 



The Napoi.eon Weaver (Fyroiiiclaiia afra). — Also a 

 conunon species, but a more gorgeously apparelled one when 

 in full colour. 



'Twas in 1913 that my only instance of success \\\i\\ this 

 species occurred, and all the main details were essentially the 

 same as with the preceding species. 



I was quite unaware of what was taking' place, as I 

 noticed nothing particular about the nest to distinguish it from 

 many others that had preceded it, for this pair of birds had been 

 two years in the aviary; but, one morning attendance on the 

 birds took me quite close to one of their nests, and the hen imme- 

 diately flew off, and I heard the call of quite young birds from 

 within the nest. Sixteen days later two yoimg birds made their 

 exit therefrom, and were similar to their female parent, but were 

 darker and duller in colour, and the striations less distinct. 1 

 saw that the parent birds secured a fair number of mealworms 

 and supplied live ants' eggs as well, but a fair amount of seed 

 was fed to the young both while in the nest and after they had 

 flown. Both young birds lived to fend for themselves, but a 

 little later a tragic mishap resulted in the adult pair and one of 

 the young being accidentally killed. The surviving young 

 bird, as already intimated, is an occupant of my aviary to-day — 

 is in full coloin- rind one of the finest and most richly coloured 

 Xai)oleons 1 have ever seen. 



