The Mannikin Family. 41 



Occasionally they fail to bring up the young; but as 

 a rule, if not interfered with, they make good parents. 

 It is not well to turn them suddenly adrift into a large 

 aviary, as their powers of flight are but limited, and 

 being of a timid disposition, they would be in danger 

 of being bullied by their stronger and bolder com- 

 panions. They are rather smaller than a redpoll, and 

 are usually imported from China. 



THE NUTMEG BIRD, Munia punctularia (illustrated 



FIG. 10. THE WHITE-HEADED NUN. 



at Fig. 9), an Indian species, but of frequent occurrence 

 in dealers' shops, is about the same size as the last, 

 and is a very pretty bird. The head and back are rich 

 brown, the under-surface being marked with numerous 

 white spots on a light-coloured brown ground. Male 

 an 4 d female are alike, and are quite hardy, living in 

 confinement for some ten years. They have never 

 bred in this country. 



THE WHITE-HEADED NUN, or MAJA FINCH, Munia 

 maja (illustrated at Fig. 10), is an exceedingly pretty 



