THE GRASS-FINCHES. 155 



Wiener's idea, that this bird requires some special food, of which 

 we know nothing, seems to me fanciful. 



Illustrations from skins in the Natural History Museum. 



THE GRASS-FINCHES. 



THBSK represent a very ill-defined group, difficult to distinguish 

 from the Waxbills on the one hand and from the Mannikins on 

 the other. Indeed it is highly probable that two or three of the 

 preceding species, which I have placed at the end of the Astrild 

 group, may prove to be true Grass-finches. If this is the case, they 

 will show themselves to belong to the present section by standing 

 erect to sing, with elongated neck, depressed beak widely open, but 

 emitting a ridiculous humming or sibilant song ; their actions, as 

 compared with typical Waxbills, will also be heavier or more clumsy. 

 A very rare bird Bathilda ruficauda, which Mr. Gould regarded as a 

 typical Astrild, was imported by Mr. Abrahams in 1893 : only two 

 pairs were received, I believe. I had the pleasure of seeing this bird, 

 and hearing it sing at Mr. Abrahams' house, and I at once discovered 

 that Dr. Sharpe had correctly located it, in his catalogue, next to 

 Poephila : it is undoubtedly a Grass-finch, with the general coloration 

 of a Waxbill.* 



As regards the Mannikins ; they are merely heavy-billed Grass- 

 finches, with which they are connected by the Silver-bills, a little 

 group combining characteristics of the three types Astrilds, Grass- 

 finches and Mannikins ; but, to my mind, better placed between the 

 two latter sections than elsewhere. 



The Grass-finches nest readily in captivity, building large spherical 

 nests of hay, with an opening in front. Some of the species are easy 

 to breed ; but several of the more beautiful Australian forms are 

 particularly liable to die from egg-binding; whilst others are extremely 



* In March, 1895, a few were imported by a friend, from whom I purchased a lovely pair, 

 but at a much higher price than I usually care to give for these tiny Finches : the female 

 plucked the male bare, and at the end of a month he died : she survived for about six months 

 and then died in her nest. A.G.B. 



