96 Favourite Foreign Birds. 



charming little creature, not much bigger than a 

 golden-crested wren. It is a native of Eastern Africa, 

 but has been naturalised at St. Helena and in other 

 places, and is imported by thousands into this country. 

 The colour of this miniature bird is grey, darker on 

 the upper than on the lower parts of the body, which 

 last are suffused with a subdued rosy tint, deepening 

 at the vent ; the feathers of the back, back of the 

 neck, and head are marked with wavy lines of a 

 darker shade than the body colour ; the bill is bright 



FIG. 32. THE GREY WAXBILL. 



red, and a streak of the same colour passes from it 

 across the face, embracing the eyes, and terminating 

 beyond the ears ; the legs and feet are grey, and the 

 tail feathers, except the central pair, which are- dark 

 brown, are edged with white. 



In confinement these tiny creatures make a big 

 nest of fibre or hay snugly lined with feathers, either 

 in a bush or the centre of a birch-broom ; or they 

 will avail themselves of the convenience and protection 

 of a Hartz-Mountain canary-cage. The eggs are pure 



