BICHENO'S FINCH. 197 



a Waxbill or a Grass-finch than the great fat-producing meal-worm, or 

 boiled ants' pupae, even if the birds can be persuaded to devour these 

 dainties. 



On April and, 1894, I purchased from Mr. Abrahams a pair of 

 this little Finch, and soon discovered that, like Tceniopygia, its call-note 

 is a weak toy-trumpet-like sound : in other respects, and especially in 

 its confiding nature, it resembles Aidemosyne ; its actions are not those 

 of a Waxbill, they much more nearly resemble those of a Zebra Finch, 

 but in their love for insect-food, Bicheno's Finches differ from that 

 species. 



I hung up a Weaver's nest in the cage, devoted to my Double- 

 banded Finches, and they lost no time in inspecting it ; and, as night 

 approached, both of them retired to it ; the cock bird hovering in front, 

 suddenly alighted close to the opening and entering, immediately began 

 to call the hen, which followed at once. Unfortunately, the cock bird 

 was in a decline, from some cause, and at the end of a week I found 

 it dead ; however, on informing Mr. Abrahams of my loss, he promptly 

 replaced it. At the end of about three weeks, a few feathers were 

 carried into the nest ; but, in other respects, the birds showed no desire 

 to breed : nevertheless, these little things are charming enough in a 

 good sized cage, where they have space to fly about, to keep for their 

 own sake, without any thought of breeding. Unhappily, all prospect 

 of breeding was completely ruined later on ; for, on May 26th, I 

 discovered clear indications that the hen bird was afflicted with that 

 common affection of Australian Ornamental Finches, disease of the 

 brain, she turned round and round on her perch, toppled over and 

 recovered herself, sat with her head on one side, and when flying 

 occasionally missed the mark at which she aimed. I know of no cure 

 for this disease ; but so far as my experience goes, it is one frequently 

 met with in Australian Grass-finches. Mr. Abrahams, however, writes 

 that he has known African Finches and Parrakeets to be afflicted in a 

 similar manner.* 



Mrs. Fraser tells me that she always found Bicheno's Finch a 

 delicate bird, and by no means long-lived : she also states that, compared 

 with many of the other small finches of Australia, the Double-banded 

 Finch is a rare bird, never seen in large flocks, and frequently only 

 to be met with in pairs. Both my birds died within a month 

 or two. 



Mr. Abrahams recently sent me the skin of a hybrid between this 

 species and the Zebra Finch, a drawing and account of which I prepared 



* Since writing the above a Zebra Waxbill has died from this disease. A.G.B. 



