on Cordon Bleu — St. Helena Waxbill hybrids. 305


they paired off, and, altogether, had two nests of eggs, all of which

hatched; but they would feed the young on nothing but seed, and so

killed each brood.


This season I turned these two birds into the same small

aviary, but put with them only a pair of Zebra Finches and a pair of

Diamond Doves, and they started to nest at once. My calculation

that the eggs should hatch on June 5th was not far out, as I found

them with young on the 6th. I was unable to obtain any live ants’

eggs (cocoons) then, only the grubs, which the birds would not touch,

and could obtain no meal-worms until Mr. Sanders, of Peckham,

came to my rescue, and I am sure that my success is, in a great

measure, due to his promptness in sending me some worms at

express speed.


On obtaining these meal-worms, I supplied soft food of the

usual kind mixed with a plentiful supply of chopped “ worms,” given

fresh twice and frequently three times a day when the weather was

very hot; seeding grass was constantly supplied also, but not eaten

very much, but used up for enlarging the nest, which was built in a

cocoanut shell high up in the peak of the roof.


On June 8th the hen started screeching badly and seemed

very restless, so I felt certain that some or all of the young were

dead, as she did this the year before when they died ; so I searched

and found a dead bird on the edge of the nest, which the St. Helena

was trying to brick up with small stones and mortar. Is this sense

a provision of Nature or what, I wonder? for this same bird has

always done this. I found it the same each time with a young dead

bird last year. Some birds forsake when the effluvium gets too bad,

others simply throw out the dead youngsters at once, but this Wax-

bill seems to have his own ideas of a fitting burial. Have any other

members noticed this peculiarity with St. Helenas or any other

species ?


I examined the defunct, and the reason of death was appar¬

ently the old tale again—stuffed with hard, undigested seeds till his

poor little life was simply choked out of him. The nest then con¬

tained three healthy-looking youngsters, and two eggs which looked

fertile.


The next day all seemed quiet, and being a really hot day I



