1 90 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



fifth coming in with a decided jerk at the end; it is not unlike the 

 bleating of a kid, and, therefore, is by no means remarkable for melody. 

 Dr. Russ gives the following account of the species : " No other 

 of the Australian Ornamental-Finches is so treasured and widely dis- 

 tributed as this, one of the smallest and most brightly coloured." 

 " Its breeding in nature and propagation could be intimately studied, 

 and yet, very few facts respecting its life, when at liberty, are published. 

 It had already been bred by Vieillot, and even figured in its young 

 plumage. Until a short time ago it could only be occasionally 

 purchased ; frequently, for a long time, not at all. The price at that 

 time was 24 Marks for the pair, only when it continually showed 

 richer breeding results, 18 Marks. Since, both flying freely in the 

 bird-room and in little breeding-cages, it has reared numerous broods 

 of from three to seven young ones, and at times has been bred much 

 more numerously than it has been imported, it may count as fully 

 acclimatized. Exactly the experiences gained by it, are applicable to 

 the breeding of all cage-birds. Marvellous, comical activity characterizes 

 it, but not the graceful rapidity of the smallest Astrilds. Confiding 

 and bold, whether brought over from the bush or bred here. Not 

 gregarious, they, nevertheless, live undisturbed near together, quarrels 

 droll : they rush angrily against one another, nodding their heads, 

 pecking with their beaks, without touching one another ; neither gives 

 way to the other, and a monotonous oft-repeated cry makes their 

 anger known until they fly apart. In the bird-room they willingly 

 take possession of the nests of other birds, yet not so shamefully as 

 the Ribbon Finch. Call-note a monosyllabic cry, like the sound of a 

 child's trumpet, it may often become intolerable in a dwelling-room, 

 if it has no nesting contrivance, even though breeding is neither 

 purposed nor permitted. The call-note repeated in three or four 

 syllables and prolonged, is also the song of the male.* Love-sport 

 comical, little trumpet notes resound on both sides. A pair eagerly 

 commences nest-building, whenever it has 'an opportunity of doing so, 

 and at any time of the year, in Hartz-cages with basket nest, little 

 nest boxes, paste-board boxes, or openly in a bush. Building-materials: 

 the coarsest things, twigs, straws, dry, and even fresh chickweed, moss, 

 and the like. Nest : nothing less than artistic ; the cavity lined with 

 feathers, cotton, hair, and other materials. Many pairs eagerly build 

 a nest, lay one or two eggs, desert the nest in order to commence 



* This is not a characteristic description of the song, which might be better rendered thus : 

 get a penny trumpet and sound four times as rapidly as you can, then give, one isolated jerk}' 

 note. A.G.B. 



