2O4 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



nesting hole is large, it is filled up with a fabulous collection of 

 rubbish. Everything answers the bird's purpose, hay, moss, cotton, 

 linen, thread, pieces of paper, and even fresh green stuff, such as 

 chickweed, etc. In a roomy nest-box, or a Hartz cage, as well as 

 quite openly in the bushes, an overarched nest is built ; a narrow 

 cavity is lined only with the softest possible materials. At every loud 

 noise the birds glide from the nest, presently to return back cautiously. 

 The young at first are perfectly bare and very hateful ; blackish red, 

 with yellow waxy skin swellings. In the first six to nine days they 

 develop slowly, afterwards ever so much more rapidly. They remain 

 a long time naked, gradually acquire a bluish colouring, and then one 

 might sooner take them for little loathsome Amphibia than for birds. 

 Ants' cocoons are utterly despised as food, and also green meat. One 

 may, therefore, regard this Ornamental Finch, as well as its relations, 

 as exclusive seed-eaters, who never once corrupt their young ones with 

 flesh diet. Duration of incubation, eleven days. On the twenty-first 

 day the young leave the nest, and feed themselves when twenty- five 

 days old. Every year as many as five broods follow in succession. 



" The young plumage is almost entirely like that of the adults, only 

 it appears duller and more faded, whilst the wavy lines of the back 

 and wing feathers are still quite indistinguishable ; the beak is shining 

 bluish black. The improvement in colour commences in the second 

 week by the development of the wavy marking and lightening of the 

 beak. In five weeks the young bird is in full colour." 



Illustration from a living male specimen in the author's collection. 



THE INDIAN SILVER-BILL. 



Aidemosyne malabarica, LINN. 



A COMMON bird in Ceylon, India, Khelat and Afghanistan : 

 frequently kept as a cage-bird in India, but not usually imported 

 half so freely into this country as it deserves to be, and when sent 



