on the Blue-Breasted WaxbilL



I think I may with advantage quote here a few words from

Dr. Stark’s work:—“These beautiful little Waxbills are usually

met with in small parties, but occasionally in autumn, after the

young have flown, in very large flocks. They prefer localities

which are partly open, partly overgrown with scrub or low trees,

and are specially fond of scattered mimosa bushes, in which

they can take refuge if disturbed when feeding on the ground on

their favourite grass-seeds. When frightened they rise with a

shrill twittering to take shelter in the nearest bushes. In spring

both male and female sing not unpleasantly. Although the

adults appear to subsist entirely on grass-seeds, the young,

before they leave the nest, are fed on small grubs and insects.

The nest is invariably built in a bush, often in a low mimosa, and

is generally placed in a fork at a height of from three to eight or

nine feet. At first sight it looks like a ball of dried grass

carelessly thrown into a bush; on investigation a small side

entrance, nearly concealed by the projecting ends of grass-stalks,

may be found, leading to the interior which is smoothly and

warmly lined with finer dried grass and feathers. Three or four

eggs are laid. These are pure white, and rather round in shape.


. . . . Mr. Andersson found this Waxbill nesting in Ondongo.


A nest taken by him on the 2nd February, 1867, was constructed

of grass, and had no internal lining. It was built in a palm

bush, six feet from the ground. The eggs were five in number.”


The story of my pair of Blue-breasted Waxbills is un¬

eventful, and soon told. They reached the Port of London, direct

from an aviary in Natal, on 26th May, 1902, and were in my

hands before midnight. The male was good, the female less so.

On June iS they were loosed into my garden aviary, and almost

immediately commenced to build in a thorn bush, between five

feet and six feet from the ground. They were bullied by the

Double-banded Finches, and, being neither robust nor in good

condition, eventually retired, and passed the remainder of

the summer quietly, to the great advantage of their general

health. On October 21 they were transferred to a six-foot cage,

in my dining-room. After settling down, I noticed that they

were desirous of nesting, and were endeavouring to build

on the top of a travelling box; but their mode of working



