THE CRIMSON-EARED WAXBILL, 53 



Incubation lasts eleven or twelve days, and the young 

 on emerging from the nest have the legs and bill black, 

 they have likewise a dingier appearance than their 

 elders, but soon moult, put on the adult costume, and 

 are ready to become parents in their turn at the age 

 of from three to four months. 



What their actual breeding season in Eastern Africa 

 may be I know not, but in confinement they keep on 

 nesting and laying all the year round: no sooner has 

 one brood been reared than the old birds make another 

 start and produce a second one, and sometimes, so 

 prolific are they, they do not even wait till the young 

 can feed themselves, but have two families to look after 

 at one and the same time, acting in this respect like 

 some members of the Parrot and Pigeon families. 



The male is readily distinguished by the crimson 

 patch on his face, which, in my opinion at any rate, 

 is a sad disfigurement to him and imparts to an other- 

 wise charming little fellow a decidedly dissipated 

 appearance. 



Look at the little hen, what a neat and trim and 

 altogether fascinating creature she is in her dainty suit 

 of dove colour faced with blue of the brightest shade; 

 she has no crimson patch to tell tales of her doings, 

 or of her whereabouts when unobserved by prying 

 eyes, and has nothing to fear on the score of inuendo 

 or open accusation of being no |idtter than she ought 

 to be. 



