252 Correspondence , Notes, etc.



lie left off singing, and was most assiduous in assisting to feed and rear

them.



GREY SINGING-FINCHES BREEDING.


Sir, — It may interest some of our members to know that I have

three young Grey Singing Finches in my out-door aviary. I have had the

old birds four years and had given up hoping they were a true pair. This

winter I left them out, in company with a Goldfinch, a hen Bullfinch, and

a hen Canary, and before Christmas I noticed the cock feeding the hen.

The nest is in a home made box of the “soap dish” pattern, into which I

pressed one of Reece’s felt nests; this they lined with a little fine hay, and

the hen laid four eggs. Last Tuesday, April 7th, there were three tiny

black youngsters, and 011 Wednesday a fourth. One was thrown out of the

nest, the other three look fat and well fed ; there is no down on them.


The parents are very fierce, chasing the other birds directly they

move. I had to remove the Bullfinch. We-diad ten degrees of frost last

night, but the young took no harm. At nine o’clock the old birds, who

are very tame, flew towards me ready for breakfast, having eaten all the

egg flake and bread and milk. Both at once fed the young. The nest is near

the glass roof and not protected in any way.


Grace Ashford.



IDENTITY OF BIRD, AND DARK-COLOURED LAVENDER


FINCH.


Sir,—T here has lately come into my possession a small bird which I

cannot identify, and I should be very much obliged if you could tell me

what it is.


The bird is about the size of a Bullfinch, with a thick head, and

heavy bill. I11 colour it is all blue, or in parts blue black. The forehead,

cheeks, and a patch on each shoulder, are bright blue; the breast is dark

blue, and the back also (perhaps rather darker than the breast). The tail

and long wing-featliers are black or blue-black, a mark of the same deep

shade goes round the base of the beak, and from the beak to the eyes.

The legs are dark, the bill whitish but darker at the base; the e}’es are

very bold and dark. The bird had been two years in England when I

bought it, in a small cage, and had been fed on what looked like canary and

rape seed. It was said to sing very sweetly, but I have only had it a short

time, so cannot say how much of this statement is true. The bird was

brought by a sailor from India, and he called it an “ Indian Satin

Starling,” but there is not the slightest resemblance to a Starling in

“ Billie.” He is very fond of a mealworm, and does not swallow them, but



