214 ESTRILDA PALUDICOLA 
cannot command a high temperature and who yet wish their 
African Waxbills to live indoors for more than eight or nine 
months, there is only one plan to be adopted. In one upper 
corner of a spacious breeding-cage, open only in front, hang 
up a box half filled with hay and turn your African Wax- 
bills into this; on warm nights you will see these little 
Finches crowded together on the top of the box, but in cold 
weather they will crouch down inside upon the hay, and so 
keep comfortably warm; you will find that, by adopting this 
plan, you can keep all the more delicate Waxbills in health 
throughout the winter, and at a moderate temperature.” 
‘Dr. Russ thus speaks of this Waxbill: ‘ Always smooth and 
clean in plumage, sprightly and active, exceedingly docile and 
peaceable, singularly shy and nervous; so that whenever 
anything unusual appears its shrill cry of warning is uttered ; 
although saucy, and in particular very inquisitive.” . . . 
*** Laying three to seven round white eggs. Both sexes 
always sit simultaneously, keep always close together most 
affectionately, never separate, whisk together out of the nest 
at every scare, on which account the brood comes to grief 
29) 
nearly every time. 
Estrilda paludicola. 
Estrelda paludicola, Heugl. J. f. O. 1863, p. 166; 1868, p. 9, pl. 1, fig. 2 
Gazelle R.; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 397 (1890); Shelley, B. 
Afr. I, No. 406 (1896) ; Reichen. Vog. Afr, iii. p. 184 (1904). 
Habropyga palustris, Heugl. in Peterm. Geogr. Mitth. 1869, p. 418. 
Adults. Upper half of head deep grey ; back and sides of neck and the 
mantle brown, with a slight rufous shade and very indistinct narrow dark 
bars; rump, upper tail-coverts and edges of basal portion of tail-feathers 
crimson ; remainder of tail brownish black ; wing, with the coverts and outer 
edges of the quills like the back, remainder of quill darker brown, with the 
inner edges whitish; under coverts buff; sides of head grey, fading into 
