26



Dr. Maurice Amsler



In April I noticed the male carrying nesting material, but

could not locate the nest.


On May 23rd I discovered a huge nest, built amongst some

twiggy branches inside the shelter and almost touching the roof.

It was quite a foot in diameter and was composed of straw and

wood wool; owing to the proximity of the roof it was difficult to

inspect, but by means of a ladder and some manipulation I was able

to look inside and found that this large collection of straw was really

the foundation of a cup some three inches in diameter, which was

neatly and solidly woven of roots and other fibres. The nest con¬

tained three eggs—the size of a Zebra finches’—of a faint grey blue

colour, spotted especially at the blunt end with reddish brown.

Owing to the insecurity of the straw foundation the young hatched

some days later were thrown out.


On June 30th the nest had been mended and contained one

egg. No more were added, but, on July 12th, the hen was sitting

on four eggs, one of which may have been the original and probably

addled egg. As the hen was usually to be seen in the day time and

the cock made his appearance in the evening I presume that the

male does the incubation by day.


On July 22nd three chicks made their appearance ; they were

dark brown, covered with down of the same colour; gape, bright

orange.


On July 30th, to my dismay and disappointment, the hen

saffron was picked up dead, below the nest. I had little hope of

the male continuing his duties single-handed, and almost decided to

take the young to hand-rear. I elected however to give the cock

a chance, and placed a ladder in position so as to keep the young

under supervision : all seemed to be going well that day and the

next, and I realised that the widower was finding solace for the

loss of his spouse in the care of his offspring.


Had the hen died a day or two earlier the young birds would

never have survived, for the male bird had no idea of brooding at


night and the nestlings had to shift through the night and cold


hours of early morning as best they could.


Beyond the disappearance of one chick all went well, and,


on August 2nd, three days after the loss of their mother, both left



