182 Birds I Have Kept. 



put some rabbit skins into a box with a loosely fitting lid, stow 

 the box away in a loft, and leave it untouched for six months 

 or so, when it will be found to be literally swarming with 

 the fur-moth and its larvae, both of which are exceedingly 

 acceptable to the small foreign Finches and Waxbills. 



Palling gentles and fur-moths, aphides may be cultivated 

 to any extent in a small glass-house, or even a garden frame, 

 from which the frost can be excluded, without shutting out 

 the light: no insects are better for rearing young Waxbills of 

 all kinds, and small Finches, from the Zebra Finch, to the 

 Orange-breasted Waxbill. 



CHAPTER LXVI. 



THE BLACK-HEADED FII^CH, OR THE THEEE-COLOUEED NUN. 



THE Black-headed Finch has doubtless received its second 

 English name from its quiet garb of black, white, and 

 brown, which gives it a certain staid conventual air, which 

 its habits do not at all belie; for it is an extremely quiet, 

 not to say indolent, bird. 



It is a native of Southern India, but does not appear to 

 be particularly delicate, or susceptible to cold: I have not 

 tried it out of doors, but it passes the winter uninjured in 

 an unheated aviary indoors. 



It requires a good deal of looking after in the matter of 

 claws; these grow very rapidly, and unless they are attended 

 to, the poor bird is apt to be caught by them in its nest, or 

 among the furniture of the aviary, where it will perish 

 miserably, unless speedily relieved. 



It feeds entirely on seed, chiefly white millet, and is very 

 fond of bathing. 



The scientific name of this quiet bird is Sjyermestes malac- 



