323 



mestiiiG motes for 1907. 



By R. SuGGiTT. 



I think everyone will agree with me that the past summer 

 has been an exceptionally discouraging one for avicnlturists 

 who keep their birds in the open. The loss of many a promising 

 nest of youngsters is undoubtedly attributable to the continuous 

 cold weather and heavy rains. My record however is uot 

 altogether one of failure; I had one or two successes, but they 

 were in no way out of the ordinary. 



A pair of Yellow Sparrows [Passer Inteus) reared four 

 broods of two, four, two and three respectively, all of which 

 reached maturity. 



This was really an achievement for a single pair of birds. 

 The Yellow Sparrow is worthy of inclusion in every mixed 

 collection of birds. 



These birds are most prolific breeders, but of course they 

 will not rear young without a liberal supply of live food. 

 Given a fair opportuuity they will have at least four broods 

 during the summer. Four eggs is the normal clutch. 



Three }'Oung Spice Finches left their nest on August 25th, 

 and when I disposed of them in January, 190S, they had almost 

 got their adult plumage. The female parent was aviary bred. 



Cutthroats and Silverbills reared as usual a fair number of 

 young, but as Cutthroats invariably, and Silverbills usually, 

 choose for a nesting site a cocoa-nut husk or Hartz cage under 

 cover, heavy rain or." cool weather does not materially affect 

 them. In the summer of 1905, a pair of Indian Silverbills built 

 a nest in a rather thin hedge and reared a fine brood of four 

 young ones, but this is the only case in my experience in which 

 a Silverbill's nest has been made in such a situation. 



A pair of Aurora Finches built no fewer than seven nests 

 during the spring and .summer. I discovered the first one in a 

 cigar nest-box, about the middle of March, when they must 

 have been sitting a considerable time as the contents of the 

 eggs were dried up. When I took the eggs away another nest 

 was immediately started upon. 



