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On the breeding of the Lessor Saffron finch.


BREEDING OF THE

LESSER SAFFRON FINCH.


Sycalis minor.


By Maurice Amsler, M.B.


Most of us have kept and bred the common Saffron finch,

a few also have owned Pelselns Saffron finch ; personally I have

avoided the former species as they are inclined to be quarrelsome,,

and have, moreover, little beyond their colour to recommend them.

Pelselns , on the other hand, I have bred from a pair reared in Mr.

Teschemaker’s aviaries, these were, I believe, the first to be bred

in captivity ; they were quiet, unobtrusive birds, hut less handsome

than the common species.


Last autumn I was offered a pair of saffrons, which are the

subject of this article.


“ Lesser Saffron ” sounded attractive, and on arrival they were

quite equal to my expectations. The bird in size is about equal to a

linnet, and the female closely resembles this species in colour as

well as in size; the cock, however, is in shape a much more

“reachy” bird and reminds one constantly of a Yorkshire canary,

being' long, thin, and elegant, with yellow head and underparts, and

olive green back and flights.


As long as they were caged they displayed no characteristic

or interesting traits, hut towards the end of January I gave them

partial liberty by turning them into the shelter of one of my aviaries

without access to the outer flight, and a month later they had the

surprise of their lives when the door was opened and they found

themselves amongst growing hushes and green sprouting grass.


I soon discovered that the male bird at any rate was not to

be done out of his courting season. With outspread quivering wings

and distended throat he followed the female in all her movements.

I am not one of those who can attempt to describe a bird’s song in

words, but this bird’s performance is an extremely pleasing trill,

very soft, and sometimes rising so high in the scale as to he almost

inaudible; there is nothing monotonous about it, nor are any of the

notes “ scroopy ” and disagreeable like those of the common saffron

finch.



