Finches. 203 



they delight in being together. The Avadavats, 

 indeed, are miserable without companions, and if 

 two birds of different species lose their respective 

 mates, they are almost sure to console each other, and 

 to consort together, sitting close together, caressing 

 and pluming each other. They all eat the same seed, 

 chiefly French and Indian millet, and are equally fond 

 of washing. I had several of these birds once in a 

 cage made of silver wires, with glass sides and ends 

 enclosing the lower half, but I do not think this kind 

 of cage good for them ; they are so continually washing 

 and splashing the water all over it, that the glass is 

 always dirty, and moreover the lower part of the cage 

 is never dry, as it does not admit air as in the ordi- 

 nary cages. Either tin or brass wire lacquered would 

 be a better material than glass for the cage. A wag- 

 gon-shaped cage of lacquered brass, eighteen inches 

 long and high, and twelve wide, is a very useful cage, 

 holding eight or ten pairs of small birds comfortably. 

 They like a long perch at the top, on which they can all 

 roost, packed closely together, heads beside tails, etc., 

 and a swing in the centre. They should only have a 

 bath once in the day in the sunshine ; on cold dull 

 days they are better out of it ; but they always sprinkle 

 themselves with water from their drinking-glasses, and 

 squeeze themselves into them, if possible. I have a 

 number of little foreigners now in a domed aviary cage 

 with two moveable divisions, giving room for several 



