258 COMMON BIRDS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



in outline, and containing a central space that opens 

 on the upper third of one of the sides. During the 

 earlier part of the building season the walls of the 

 cavity are almost wholly built of a layer of dry 

 grass faced internally with a coating of pappus of 

 grass-seeds, but later, when the great grasses come 

 abundantly into flower, the whole structure is often 

 almost entirely composed of pappus. At the time 

 at which the grass-blades are most in demand there 

 are always large numbers of dry ones scattered over 

 the ground in the Botanic Garden, left by the 

 mowers who are employed in keeping down the 

 luxuriant growth attending the rainy season, but 

 the birds hardly ever make use of them, and prefer 

 laboriously collecting their materials from the 

 growing plants, showing a strange failure to adapt 

 their actions to the conditions of an artificial 

 environment. 



All munias are most alluring pets, and are very 

 easy to keep in good health in any tropical region, as, 

 so long as they are not exposed to low temperatures, 

 they require no special attention. The beautiful 

 colouring and miniature size of the green Stictospiza 

 formosa, and the red Sporceginthus amandava, render 

 them special favourites with bird-fanciers. They 

 are so very small that in dealing with them one feels 

 as though one had to do with birds out of a Noah's 

 Ark. I have not had much experience in keeping 

 green munias, but have very often kept large numbers 



