THE JAVA SPARROW. 251 



fine grass, but with a few broad-bladed leaves of millet intertwined. 

 The entrance small, circular, and lateral. 



" The eggs were very regular ovals, pure glossless white, and 

 varied from 0.7 to 0.75 in length, and were (all the three sent me) 

 0.55 in breadth." 



Dr. Russ says : " One of the most anciently imported of the 

 Ornamental Finches ; Vieillot had a ' Padda for seven years in a cage.' 

 Singularly enough, however, it was only bred in the most recent period 

 (since 1870), first by Dr. Stolker, of St. Fiden, and after that by many 

 others. Nest careless, yet usually domed, of straw, hay, feathers, and 

 the like, in nest-boxes, cigar-boxes, and other enclosures. Young 

 plumage : dark mouse-grey, underside clear yellowish-grey ; flight and 

 tail-feathers dark grey, no clear white defined cheeks ; beak black, 

 waxy skin-glands white ; eyes black, margin yellowish tawny-grey ; feet 

 pale flesh-coloured. Change of colour : at eight days after flight the 

 plumage begins to grow brighter, the upper surface gradually poppy- 

 blue-grey, below reddish ; the beak after five weeks flesh-red ; the eyes 

 already brownish-red, the feet reddish flesh-coloured ; after moulting, 

 like the old birds in colouring and size (Dr. Stolker). 



" Song like the ringing of diminutive bells.* Enduring, always 

 smooth and neat, in a cage as in the bird-room harmless and peaceable. 

 Breeding difficult, not remunerative. 



" The snow-white Rice-bird, with its shining rose-red beak and 

 feet ; doubtless one of the most beautiful domesticated birds, come 

 in increasing numbers into the trade ; from the cleanest purest white 

 to blue-clouded and wholly pied. Has been kept in a cage in Japan 

 for hundreds of years, and selected as a fancy species by patient 

 breeding, like the white House-Dove and yellow Canary-bird, also 

 abundantly bred among us. Development corresponding with that of 

 the original species ; but nests more easily and with greater certainty." 



With regard to the breeding of these two forms of the Rice-birds, 

 my experience does not coincide altogether with that of Dr. Russ. 

 From time to time I had pairs of the wild type, which never showed 

 any inclination to breed : then I purchased, what was supposed to be, 

 a pair of the white variety, and placed them in a roomy breeding- cage, 

 with a large nest-box hung up in one corner. The two birds were 

 always fighting, one invariably went to roost in the box and the other 

 on the top of it. Sometimes the outsider would suddenly enter the 

 box ; then there was a battle royal, no end of growling, flapping of 

 wings and knocking of heads against the woodwork. Then just when 



* This evidently refers to the "Torcumtee, turcuuitong" part of the wild bird's song. A.G.B. 



