The Cur/i'URE of Fjnches. 3 



Zebra-fincli, Bengalee and Sharp-tailed finch ; the Grey and 

 Green Singing-finches will also build and hatch their young in 

 cages and have been known to rear them : I see no reason why 

 all the Serins should not be bred in cages although I have not 

 myself been successful with them. Our British Goidfiuch will 

 breed both in cage and aviary ; I have myself bred it in the 

 latter enclosure and have bred mules between it and a Canary in 

 a large cage. 



This brings me to another point with regard to the indoor 

 culture of finches and indeed of all birds in close confinement; 

 none of them sliould be permanently kept in cages which are 

 too small for them to use their wings as freely as their legs, or to 

 indulge in a bath whenever they are inclined to do so. Nothing 

 is more conducive to the health of a bird than plenty of natural 

 exercise, and cleanliness combined with fresh air. 



The small stuffy cages formerly in use with seed and water 

 hung outside and no exercise beyond a monotonous pendulum- 

 like hop from upper to lower perch were most injurious to the 

 healih of their inmates, and more especially when their cages were 

 hung up in a close gas-heated room and were not frequently 

 cleaned out. I have found a cage about three feet long, eighteen 

 inches high and eighteen inches from front to back, open only in 

 front and with a central sliding door, none too large for a pair of 

 small finches, if one has any wish to breed from them. There 

 should be a metal tray sliding in from the front, a nest box in the 

 centre upon the back wall close to the roof of the cage, a perch 

 from front to back high up near each end and a pan of water on 

 one side of the door, a pan of seed on the other. When breed- 

 ing a small pan of soft food should be added and green food 

 stuck through the wires near one of the perclies. Hygienic 

 fountains are cleaner than open pans, but the birds cannot wash 

 in them and if both are supplied the birds, like human babies, 

 will always drink from their bath. 



Some aviculturists have been successful in breeding the 

 commoner Waxbills in cages, but with me they never attenipted 

 to build excepting in a good-sized aviar}' and even then I never 

 succeeded in getting them to hatch their eggs. The same is true 

 ■of most of the Mannikins, thov.gh they are more ready to build 



