THE SYDNEY WAXBILL. 143 



large flocks ; in the spring they are mostly seen in pairs, and then 

 build their large and conspicuous nest, which is formed of dead grass, 

 lined with thistle down, in any low bush adapted for a site ; but in 

 none more frequently than in the beautiful Leptospermum squarrosum" 



Mr. North writes : " This bird is one of the commonest of the 

 Ploceidce in New South Wales and Victoria; it constructs a flask-shaped 

 nest of dried grass, etc., placed in a bush or low tree ; a favourite 

 breeding locality of this species is in the Melaleuca scrubs, that fringe 

 the edges of rivers and creeks. At Heidelberg, in Victoria, I have 

 seen upwards of fifty nests of this species, while oiit collecting, in a 

 single day. Eggs five in number for a sitting, pure white. 



" It was from a nest of this species, built in an acacia, opposite 

 the entrance gates to the old Government House, at Toovak, Victoria, 

 that I first took the egg of Chalcitcs plagosus (Bronze Cuckoo), and 

 although I have taken it on many occasions since, it has been very 

 rarely that I have found it in the nest of this bird. Eggs of JE. 

 temporalis may be taken in September, and all through the season to 

 the latter end of February." 



Dr. Russ says that this is one of the birds which rarely reaches 

 us, therefore, only finds a few admirers, although it is beautiful and 

 amiable, and exhibits other prerogatives of the Ornamental Finches. 



" This Ornamental Finch also I first reared in my bird-room, and 

 later also Mr. Linden, of Radolfozell. As soon as the pair began to 

 breed, I noticed that in one of the two hitherto similarly coloured 

 birds, the faint dirty ash-grey became, as it were, suffused with bluish- 

 white. 



" Several pairs lived peaceably in the bird-room, and one began 

 to nest. Nest in the basket of a Hartz cage, of bark-fibres, thin grass 

 stalks, horsehair and agave or aloe-fibres ; formed spherically, carefully 

 smoothed inside, and with an entrance hole at the side. Laying five 

 to six eggs, white, flesh-tinted from transparency ; Duration of incubation 

 thirteen days, both taking turns. Nestling down bluish-grey. Young 

 plumage dull earthy-grey, feebly tinted with olive-green ; under-body 

 dirty yellowish- grey, with grey-black tail above and below ; only 

 recognizable by the already existing soft red of the superciliary stripe 

 and croup. The change of colour I do not know, as the young always 

 died before it. 



" More delicate than most other Australians, especially sensitive to. 

 wet cold. The young ones in my bird-room died one cold early 

 summer night, and the hen also came to grief through catching cold. 

 Not so lively as other Astrilds, the Thorn Astrild is quiet, silent yet 



