84 The Twitk 



same time, I gave her two of the Twites' eggs, making up the number for each 

 with infertile eggs ; both birds hatched on the same day ; the two in the Redpoll's 

 nest perished at once, though she is a good feeder, and has reared two broods of 

 her own this season ; the Twite successfully reared hers, and they left the nest 

 un July iQtIi, and arc now very fine birds, but quite normally coloured; this I 

 expected, as I have reared a large number during the past few years from both 

 white, pied, and cinnamon Lesser Redpolls, and have inbred them, but have never 

 liad one vary in the least from the normal colour.* Young Twites are not nearly 

 so precocious as Redpolls ; the}' were a long time before thej' attempted to peck 

 for themselves, and even now (August) clamour to the old ones for food, whereas 

 I have seen j-oung Redpolls a week after leaving the nest shell hard Canary-seed. 

 My birds have no soft food given them, but as much of the flowering top of the 

 dwarf-grass, dandelion, and hard-head tops, thistle, plantain, etc., as the}- wish, and 

 as many aphides off rose, apple, or plum-trees as I can at the time obtain ; infested 

 branches being put in the aviary for the birds to peck them off. The latter, I 

 consider, are very essential for the successful rearing of Finches in confinement, 

 especially for the first few days after they are hatched."! 



* Neverllieless coutiuuoiis iubreeiling is believed to be the principal cause of albiuism.— A.G.B. 

 t If soft food is given, I do not find aphides to be essential, — A G.B. 



