130 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



Kurrichane and the tropic of Capricorn." Mr. Barratt says: "I shot 

 this Finch round about the gardens at Rustenberg, I did not see 

 many of them in flocks, and they appear to be rather local birds." 



"Mr. Ayres writes: 'In November, 1864, I found this pretty 

 species in some numbers amongst the bush on the banks of the 

 Tugela, in Natal, and my brother has recently met with it on the 

 Limpopo.' Mr. Buckley met with it in the Transvaal, and in the 

 Matabele country; and the late Mr. Frank collected several specimens 

 at Tati. Further north it appears to be common, for Mr. Ayres says 

 that during Mr. Jameson's expedition they found it one of the most 

 plentiful of the small Finches, and very widely distributed. Mr. Ander- 

 son has the following note : " This pretty little Finch is common at 

 Lake N'gami, and in the neighbourhood of the Okavango River; but 

 I do not think that it is found either in Damara or Great Namaqua 

 Land. I have heard, occasionally, of immense gatherings of these 

 birds; but usually they are found in small flocks, seeking on the 

 ground for their food, which consists almost entirely of the seeds of 

 grasses. On the 2nd February, 1887, I found in Oudonga a nest of 

 this species in a palm bush, about six feet from the ground; it was 

 constructed of grass, and had no internal lining; the eggs were five 

 in number." 



" Senor Anchieta has met with the species at Biballo, where it is 

 called "Kaxexe." 



Dr. Russ, in his Fremdlandischen Stubenvogel gives several interesting 

 accounts of the rearing of Red-eared Waxbills in confinement, by his 

 deceased friend Mr. Leuchfeld; but I cannot, unfortunately, spare the 

 space to repeat them here. One item, however, is of importance to 

 any fancier who may desire to breed the Cordon Bleu : Mr. Leuchfeld 

 found that, at first, the old birds would only use living ants' cocoons, 

 as food for their young ; but these were difficult to obtain ; he there- 

 fore powdered up yolk of egg, as finely as possible, and mixed it 

 with the living food, and from accidentally but repeatedly tasting the 

 latter, the parents were gradually coaxed into using it by itself; the 

 result being a decided success. 



Illustration from living examples and skins belonging to the author. 



