268 



before the hen laid, and it may be that this species is 

 subject to egg-binding. I say this because all my 

 other birds were entirely free from this very vexatious 

 trouble. She laid five eggs and the work of incubation 

 commenced at once. I noticed that the household 

 duties were equalh'^ divided between the birds, the 

 cock always sitting during the day, and the hen taking 

 the night dut3\ During the whole of the period this 

 was rigidly observed. Whenever I went to the aviary 

 in the day, the cock was on the nest, and about six or 

 seven in the evening the hen always went on. More 

 than once I have seen the exchange made, which re- 

 minded me somewhat of the " changing guard." 



The first two attempts were abortive, the eggs 

 being clear ou both occasions, and I began to despair 

 of bringing off a brood. It was now near the end of 

 July, and the birds again went to nest, and again in a 

 fresh place. They never used the same nest twice, 

 but always sought pastures new. I took but little 

 notice of the event, but about the middle of August, 

 as they were still sitting, I looked into the nest and 

 discovered three young ones. I was naturally rather 

 excited and proceeded at once to examine them. They 

 were perfectl}^ naked and blind, and the skin was of a 

 lig/ii orange yellow. The beaks, which appeared 

 " gapey," were black lined with white on the outer 

 portion of the mandible, and a while ring also en- 

 circled the black spot where the eyes were. They 

 seemed very helpless, much more so than young 

 Canaries of the same age, and appeared to make no 

 efibrt to raise their heads, when opening their beaks to 

 be fed. I was very doubtful of rearing them, and 

 consoled mj'self somewhat, I remember, b}' the fact 



