146 Birds I Have Kept. 



the wings and tail are black, and the vent and under tail 

 coverts rose. A red line starts from the insertion of the red 

 beak, crosses the eye, and reaches to the middle of the head 

 on either side. 



These small creatures are very hardy, very pretty, and most 

 inoffensive: they are very fond of nest-making, and occasionally 

 deposit a tiny white egg in the enormous mass of hay, fibre 

 and feathers they are pleased to consider a nest. I have not 

 succeeded in getting them to set, but Dr. Russ has often bred 

 them. ^ 



The chief food of these birds is white millet; but they will 

 eat sponge-cake, and even soaked bread, but are particularly 

 fond of aphides, which they will clear off the branches of a 

 rose-tree with a rapidity quite wonderful to behold. 



It is one of the prettiest sights imaginable to see a number 

 of these delicate little things sitting close together on a bough, 

 engaged in preening their feathers, or singing their pretty 

 little song; then, as soon as they are tired of singing, or have 

 finished their toilette, it is most amusing to watch their antics 

 when sporting among the boughs, or helping themselves from 

 the seed pan, where with outspread wings and ever twitching 

 tail they recall to mind a little poem, ''Puppy Dogs' Tails," 

 that appeared, some years ago, in a long since defunct peri- 

 odical. 



"Now there hangs by these tails a peculiar fact, 

 For the reason of which I am mentally rackt; 

 'Tis that whether in anger, in pain, or in play. 

 They continue eternally wagging away," 



which is an undoubted fact, and a very pretty sight in the 

 case of the birds under consideration. 



When the breeding season has set in the scene changes: 

 what quarrels and jealousies one has to witness among these 

 small people! how they chase each other about the aviary, 

 with shrill and angry cries! how they tilt against each other 



