THE AMADUVADE WAXBIU.. in 



ochreous ; sides of body and thighs greyish brown ; under wing-coverts 

 yellowish white. Length 4 A, inches. 



This species changes its plumage entirely, from time to time, in 

 the most unaccountable manner; not merely to the duller winter 

 plumage : The whole of my six Bombay cock birds, at their second 

 moult, assumed a plumage like that of brilliantly coloured hen birds, 

 and answering very closely to the description of Wallace's S. flavidiventris: 

 this dress they retained for an entire year without change, and then 

 the copper colouring began to re-appear in patches. 



In like manner the hens vary considerably, some examples being 

 almost as bright in the under-surface colouring as Zebra Waxbills ; 

 whereas, others are of a pale sandy buff colour, slightly smoky on 

 the breast. Some old cock birds, after four or five years of aviary 

 life, get patches of black and white on the copper-red of the face and 

 throat, which greatly interferes with their beauty. 



I have, from first to last, had some five or six dozen examples of 

 this extremely hardy little bird. I have known it to stand 21 degrees 

 of frost without the slightest inconvenience ; and a friend of mine 

 wintered some, in a somewhat exposed open-air aviary, in which the 

 temperature may have been considerably lower.* 



Jerdon writes of the Amaduvade as follows: "This pretty bird is 

 far from being common in the South of India. I have observed it in 

 great abundance on the top of the Neilgherries, where it frequents 

 meadows and bushy ground, but frequently also enters gardens, and is 

 considered destructive to various seeds, buds, &c. I observed it in 

 the Deccan, in the neighbourhood of well-wooded towns. It is said to 

 be common in some parts of Mysore. Mr. Elliott says it is common 

 in Dharwar, particularly in the sugar-cane fields, along with M. malacca. 

 I am informed that it builds its nest of well-woven grass, attaching it 

 to a stalk of Raivala. It is caught in great quantities in certain parts, 

 and kept in cages with M. undtdata and others. It is said to fight 

 with great courage (for which purpose it is kept by the natives) and 

 that it will continue the combat till blood is drawn on one or both 

 sides." 



In a later account Jerdon says: "It frequents bushy ground, 

 gardens, and especially sugar-cane fields, and long grass, associating 

 in large flocks, except towards the end of the rains, at which season 

 it breeds. The nest is large, made of grass, and placed in a thick 

 bush, or occasionally in long grass or reeds, and the eggs, six to 



* He also assured me that he kept the Zebra Waxbill in the same aviary ; but, on reflection, 

 I am convinced that he meant the Zebra Finch, specimens of which 1 saw there. A.G.B. 



