174 



FOREIGN BIRDS i'OR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



either occupies a deserted Weaver-bird's nest or builds 

 a nest of grass, two pairs sometimes uniting to construct 

 and occupy a sing-le nest, which is usually placed in a 

 low bush. In form the structure is quite normal, domed, 

 and with short depressed entrance passage in front, but 

 occasionally it is said to be a mere overarched platform, 

 open in front. It is almo.st always softly lined, usually 

 with flowering grassland feathers, but Mr. Aitken states 

 that he has seen countless ne&ts, and there is no lining ; 

 his experience, therefore, seems to differ from that of 

 all other observers. From four to eight white eggs are 

 deposited, but as many as fifteen have been found in 

 one nest IprobaWy the product of two hens). 



In May, 1895, Mr. Abrahams sent mo a pair of this 

 species, in order that I might cross them with Striated 

 Finches, with a view to the reproduction of Bengalees. 

 In this I was unsuccessful, owing to the delicacy of the 

 Silver-bills, which did not seem to thrive in even a 

 large flight ; so that, with the hope of saving their 

 lives, I tui-ned them loose in a spacious aviary. Both 

 birds died within a few months, hav-nng made no 

 attempt whatever at breeding. Had I succeeded, it is 

 probable tliat tlie hybrids Avould not have nearly re- 

 sembled the Bengalee ; indeed the experiments made by 

 Messrs. Perreau and Tesuheniaker tend to prove that th; 

 Bengalee was derived from the Striated Finch with a 

 subsequent cross with the nearly related Sharp-tailed 

 Finch. 



The song of the Indian Silver-bill is said t« be some- 

 what harsher than that of the African species, but I 

 never heard it. In all other respects its habits in cap- 

 tivity agree with those of the more freely imported 

 species. It has been bred in Germany, and Mr. Tcsche- 

 maker bretl it in Devonshire in 1895. 



Although an extremely common Indian and Geylonese 

 bird, this Silver-bill is much rarer and consequently 

 dearer in the bird market than its African cousin. One 

 reason for this may be that it has nothing like the con- 

 stitution of A. caiilrini--, and is far more sen.sitive to 

 changes of temperature. 



African Silver-bill {Aidemosyne cantans). 



Its upper surface is of a greyish wood-brown tint, rather 

 darker on the head, which is also slightly more golden 

 in hue; all the feiithers have a slightly paler outer 

 border ; the flight-feathers and tail are blackish-brown, 

 the tail is rather long and pointed, and the bird has a 

 habit of jerking it sideways, somewhat after the manner 

 of a Waxbill, though less rapidly ; the under parts are 

 pale sandv-buir, the feathers having i whitpr outer 

 border, the centre of the belly and the under tail- 

 coverts white ; the bill blue-grey, the feet greyish. 

 Female rather smnller th.in male, more slender, nnd 

 with the outer flight-feathers greyer. Habit.at, Southern 

 Arabia, Ncrth-Eastem Afiica, anc' southwards to Zan- 

 zibar and Western Africa. 



Like most ol the Ploceine Finches, it frequents the 

 banks af streams and cultivated lands. It is said gene- 

 rally to utilise the nests of Weaver-birds for breeding 

 purjwses, lining thorn thickly witiv feathers, wool, and 

 nair, and to lay from three to five white eggs. It is 

 more frequently seen in hedges or scrub than nil the 

 ground. Tlio iifsting season is dated to be from August 

 to October, but it is probable that it extends over a 

 considerable portion of the year, as the nest has been 

 found in .Tanuiry. In cajitivitv this Silver-bill prefers 

 the cigar-box receptacle tn all others for nc<-tiiig in. 

 It seems to be always ready to build, and will some- 

 times lay and sit : but, as a rule, the hens succumb to 

 egg-binding. It has been successfully bred in Germany, 

 the young being reared entirely on regurgitated seed. 



All other food is said to be entirely ignored by the 

 parents. Mr. Farrar bred it in England in 1896, but 

 whether he was the first successful breeder in this coun- 

 try I cannot .s^iy ; with sii conmion a species I should 

 think it highly improbable. 



I have had a great many examples of this modestly 

 coloured little bird, and my first male never sang, only 

 uttering a shrill trill like that of our Lesser Redpoll. 

 I find, however, that most males sing a pretty, soft, 

 little rippling song, which Dr. Ru.-is rather aptly de- 

 scribes as "resembling a little running brook." 



This and the Indian Silver-bill ha-e been crossed 

 successfully. The African bird is very liardy, and the 

 males live for many years without special atieniion. 



UiDBON FiNCK [Amadina fasciata) 



Upper smface dull golden brown, the nutc;- borders 

 of the feathers brighter and marked with little black 

 bars: tlie head rather greyer than the back, .-ind the tail 

 quite grey ; the wing coverts greyish, with bright golden 

 brown borders to the feathers, and a short black bar on 

 the outer webs; flight-feathers grey, .vith (laler margins ; 

 the throat of the cock is white, crossed by a semi-cir- 

 cular broad band of vivid crim.'-on ; the breast and 

 abdomen pule golden or chestnut brown, with greyish 

 or blacki.sh bars near the outer fringes of tho feathers, 

 and a few white feathers here and there, but chieliy in 

 the centre of the abdomen ; beak and legs llesli tinted. 

 The hen differs Irom *lie cock in it< bhick-spe<-kU'd 

 brown cheeks and paler brownish throat, the beautiful 

 crimson band being entirely absent. Habitat, Sene- 

 ganibia to North-East Africa, and northwards to Masai- 

 lajid. In North-Ea.st Africa the habits of the Ribbon 

 Finch closely resemble those of the common house Spar- 

 row of Europe: they collect together in crowds, chirp, 

 dust themselves in the sand, and possibly nest in holes, 

 as they do in captivity; or they may build social nests 

 like the Red-headed Finch. Antinori found them breed- 

 ing in August and September in great companies, which 

 certainly gives colour to the latter supposition. 



The name of Cutthroat, which has been applied to 

 this bird, is not belied by its disposition, which is 

 naturally aggre.«vsive towards smaller and wea.ker birds, 

 but cowardly towards birdsof equal or superior strength. 

 I, therefore, do not recommend the Riblxm Finch as a 

 .'afe companion for a mixed community of ornamental 

 Finches (Prnr/itfinl-rii), but a pair in a flight cage make 

 delightful pets 



Of all species the Ribljon Finch is one of the easiest 

 to breed ; but, either because it objects to odd numbers 

 or refuses to let dead nestlings remain in the nest to 

 poison the others, it hiis been cre<lited with the un- 

 natural crime of throwing its young nut of the nest to 

 die. I found that only the odd birds were thus disposed 

 of, so that only pairs of young ones left the nest; but 

 my experience is not universal, for odd birds certainly 

 are sometimes reared. 



The Ribbon Finch is extremely fond of its young, 

 more so than most birds; I know of ni> other species 

 \vhich is so frantic with rage and grief when the young 

 (being old enough to provide for tluin<elves) are 

 removed ; whiLst the nestlings themselves aie almost 

 equally distressed ; it therefore seems highly improbable 

 that such affectionate parents would wantonlj- destroy 

 their infants. My young Ribbon Finches wore reared 

 entirely u|)on insectivorous fiiod, which I supplied daily 

 in a small pot. I find this food usuallv suffirieiit for any 

 of the small Finches when breeding, though I sometimes 

 give a piece of Madeim cake or spimge cake for a change. 



Cage-bred Ribbon Finches become wnnderfully lame, 

 and not Cnlv fee<l from the fingers, but sing for their 



