218 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



Nothing warm is used as a lining. The nests are found in July, and 

 contain six or eight pure white eggs." 



Mr. J. Darling, junr., remarks: "This bird breeds very commonly 

 up in the Wynaad. Builds a nest of grass, put together in a ball 

 shape, with a hole in the side ; it builds in all sorts of situations, but 

 is especially fond of building in the parasitic plants on ' gooseberry 

 trees.' They lay from four to eight eggs. I have found nests from 

 April to June, and also in November and December." 



Mr. Vidal, writing from S. Koukan, says : " Common everywhere 

 in gardens and jungles. I have found numbers of old nests, used as 

 roosting places, but have never succeeded in getting any eggs." 



In Ceylon, according to Colonel Legge, these Munias appear to 

 be constantly nesting. 



I purchased two specimens of this species, from a friend about 

 the year 1892 ; he had obtained them with others from a dealer, uuder 

 the name of Sharp-tailed Finches, and until I examined the skins of 

 the two species side by side, I was naturally under the impression 

 that my birds were U. acuticauda. Consequently, when I compared 

 them with the dark form of the Bengalee, and noticed that the actions, 

 character and song of the two birds were almost identical,* I had 

 no doubt, in my own mind, that one was derived from the other. 

 But, when Mr. Abrahams gave rue his views, as to the parentage of 

 the Bengalee, I took the earliest opportunity of discovering how the 

 two allied species U. striata and U. acuticatida differed. 



I think the briefest way to describe the distinction, between the 

 Striated and Sharp-tailed Finches, would be to say, that the latter is 

 decidedly smaller, browner and varied with tawny ; it is, in fact, not 

 half such a pretty bird as U. striata : it somewhat approaches the 

 Chestnut-breasted Finch and the Spice-birds in aspect. 



My birds proved to be both males, and though they were more 

 than willing to pair with Bengalees, the latter, being already accom- 

 modated with husbands, did not take kindly to their rather more 

 boisterous allies, and I am afraid the only result of the introduction 

 of the latter into my bird-room was, to increase the number of disputes 

 and prevent the Bengalees from settling down quietly. 



Dr. Russ says: "Although this Ornamental Finch is one of the 

 most ordinary, it is, nevertheless, regarded with some favour, and, 

 therefore, may be found in many bird-rooms. In disposition it is not 

 so restless, agile and graceful as a Little Magpie (Bronze Mannikin) 



* The song of the Sharp-tailed Finch is rather different- -"Tik-tik-tik-tik-tik-tik-tik-tik 

 choo-uck," nor does this bird resemble any variety of the Bengalee. A.G.B. 



