42 



My old pair of Firefinclies laid in a nest-box (see 

 plate) at the end of January, but some mysterious 

 epidemic made its appearance among the Australian 

 finches and the cock Firefinch, which has been two 

 years in an outdoor aviary, succumbed to it. This 

 species is a favourite of mine but, for all that, I 

 sincerely wish it were not imported, as it is far too 

 delicate to stand the long voyage, and quite ninety 

 per cent, are lost. This same pair of birds hatched 

 two young in February 1905 and reared them quite 

 successfully. 



A pair of Grey Singing-finches brought off three 

 young in February (see plate). This species is so 

 combative, that I have never succeeded in rearing 

 any young where more than one pair have been kept 

 together. The males in the breeding season fight so 

 furiously, that they sometimes fall to the ground locked 

 together, and can be picked up by hand. 



It is pretty to see the parents catching flies for 

 the young which they take most skilfully on the wing. 

 Altogether this one pair brought off eight j^oung last 

 season, but the latter were all killed, except two, by 

 Tawny Owls. If alarmed, the young have a fatal 

 habit of clinging to the wire netting, where they fall 

 an easy prey. This season I have replaced my Grey 

 Singing-finches b}'' their near relations — the Yellow- 

 rumped Singing -finches, which latter I have just 

 succeeded in breeding. Seri?nis angolensis is un- 

 doubtedly the best songster of all the African Serins 

 and a very charming and hard}' little bird. 



At the end of February I had quite a chorus of 

 song from a cock Blackcap, a Black I,ark, and two 

 Woodlarks. The Black Lark is an excellent songster. 



