48 



The Cbingolos, having got rid of their chief 

 enemy, the cock Blackcap, soon completed a very neat 

 well-built nest and laid three eggs. Dr. Butler des- 

 cribes the eggs as " pale blue with dull brown spots," 

 but I expect the eggs of this species vary a good 

 deal, as I have examined eggs of two different types 

 and neither answered to the above description, having 

 a white or cream-coloured ground. 



The Chingolos sat well for nearh' three weeks and 

 then another nest made its appearance within a few 

 inches of the first with two eggs — and one Chingolo 

 sat in each (see plates). So all my trouble had been 

 expended in an attempt to breed from two hens ! 



I will conclude with a few words about a pair of 

 Cordons. For two years I had been trying to obtain 

 a sound cock Cordon. Hen Cordons are generally 

 supposed to be the most delicate, but the reverse has 

 been my experience. At length I succeeded, and the 

 result was the most beautiful little nest (the smallest I 

 ever saw of au}^ dome-shaped nests) and three white 

 eggs. It was a proud day for the Cordons when they 

 led forth a j^oung family of two, and later in the sum- 

 mer they again produced twins but, alas ! all four 

 perished during my absence from home in September. 

 Probably the early autumnal frosts were too much for 

 them. 



May I say a word about the importation of 

 Cordons? When we have such a large selection of 

 species that really do well in captivity, it seems to me 

 quite unjustifiable to import such a frail little bird as 

 this, only a very small fraction of each consignment 

 surviving the voyage and change of climate. Now, 

 we have the matter in our own hands : if we do not 



