24 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



return undaunted in a few minutes, bringing more straws and feathers."* 

 Arg. Orn., i, p. 67. 



The eggs, five in number, are said to be thickly spotted with deep 

 chocolate-brown. 



Dr. Russ says that the Saffron Finch will either build " in a box, 

 or, if it has the chance, in a Weaver-bird's nest, or that of any other 

 pair of birds. The nest is negligently formed of bast, strips of paper, 

 agave-fibre, and fine shavings, and thinly lined with animal or veget- 

 able wool. The hatch variable, though common. -Eggs white, spotted 

 like those of a Sparrow. Time of incubation, " fourteen days." "At 

 least three broods yearly ; the first in a heated bird-room, already in 

 February. Nests also at a lower temperature successfully ; is exceed- 

 ingly fruitful (20-24 young). Breeding profitable. First bred by Dr. 

 Max Schmidt, of Frankfort, on Maine ; since then by many." " Breeds 

 in spacious cages, or in bird-room occupied by Weavers, Parrots, etc." 



I found that the nests built by my birds in boxes were piled up 

 above the opening almost to the wooden top, leaving only just room 

 for the birds to slip in and out ; they were strongly-formed saucer- 

 shaped nests, on a massive foundation of all kinds of materials straw, 

 hair, roots, feathers, moss, aloe-fibre, etc. and were not domed or 

 overarched in any way : to all intents and purposes they were typical 

 Finch nests. 



Although Sycalis takes possession of domed nests, it does not follow 

 that it ever so far departs from the usual habits of its allies as to 

 construct one, though some writers have asserted that it does so. If 

 this were the case, it would serve more clearly to separate it from the 

 Sparrows, which, as I have already pointed out, leave the top of the 

 nest open, though, at times, the opening is not placed exactly over 

 the centre. 



As regards the danger of keeping Saffron Finches with smaller 

 and weaker birds, Dr. Russ observes : " As these birds, not simply 

 by the restlessness of their pursuit, but also by other kinds of 

 disturbances, molest all the rest, it is easy to judge what enormous 

 danger they occasion in the bird-room. Also, without cause, they 

 make a convenience of the nests of other birds ; then, though they 

 have not themselves taken any steps towards nest building, but have 

 merely wandered about in a desultory manner with building material, 

 such as thin straws, they nevertheless, by their impetuous behaviour, 



* Contrary to the above habit of Sycalis pelzelni, our House-Sparrow, when out in the open 

 country, usually builds a huge purse-shaped nest for itself, in the branches of a tree ; sometimes, 

 though less frequently, it builds in a hollow tree like the Tree-Sparrow : there is therefore no 

 excuse for using the trivial title of "Sparrow" for birds not nearly related to Passer. A.G.B. 



