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assume a more or less intense black color ; a broad collar of rich brown ornaments 

 the neck ; the lower body becomes mealy white ; and, with surprising rapidity, four 

 black tail-feathers grow to a great length, the centre feathers being about ten inches- 

 long. A small cage will, of course, destroy the beauty of this tail within a few hours : 

 but placed in a large aviary, and in perfect plumage, the graceful flight of the bird r 

 with his long, sweeping tail, is a sight of great beauty. At first the smaller inmates- 

 will be a little frightened when the Whydah swoops down among them, but about 

 twenty-four hours reconciles the most timid amongst the small Finches to the tail of 

 their new friend. When feeding on the ground, the male Whydah carries his tail 

 very carefully in a most graceful curve, the extreme ends just touching the ground 

 whilst the agile feet scratch in the sand and food-dishes. 



The White and Variegated Manakins, sometimes called Bengalese, and com- 

 monly known as Japanese Nuns, are bred in cages, and are not trapped birds, like 

 most of the Australian and African Finches. 



The Japanese living three thousand years ago, writes Blakston, knew quite as- 

 well how to breed birds in cages as we do now. We see the singular result of a 

 breed of perfectly white or mottled little birds being regularly produced, descended 

 from brown-striped ancestors, another example how birds through cage-breeding 

 may change their colors in the same way our old friend the Canary has done. 

 When and how the change of color was brought about is unknown, says Blakstou ; 

 but other writers state, that the change from the evenly striped brown was obtained 

 by placing the pairs and the nest, during incubation, under various colors of glasses, 

 and in strong sunlight. These Nuns are clear white, brown and white, cinnamon 

 and white, and nearly clear brown in colors. The White variety is not an Albino r 

 like the White Blackbird ; for the eye is not pink, and his progeny is as certain to be 

 white as the Yellow Canary's offspring is certain to be yellow. All the Nuns are 

 very docile and tame. They will readily build any sort of a nest out of any suit- 

 able material in any nest-box or other receptacle ; and they will, under favorable 

 circumstances, prove wonderfully prolific. Such is the experience of one who has 

 frequently bred them. The male bird is amusing ; for he will take a piece of fibre 

 in his bill, and execute a peculiar sort of dance to please his sweetheart, while he 

 sings a pretty little song. 



When several are kept in one cage, they will all sit at night packed in one nest- 

 box, nearly as close as sardines are laid in a tin. When they once begin to breed, 

 they will produce a very numerous progeny ; and the young will breed again when 

 four to six months old. 



For food for the young brood give millet and maw seed, both soaked in hot 

 water, and strained, and soaked ants' eggs and boiled egg. The best way to breed 

 them, quoting Blakston's experience, is, to place only one pair in a regular breed- 

 ing-cage, without nest-boxes or nesting materials, and feed them on millet and 

 canary seed, with plenty of green food, such as apple and chickweed. When the 

 pair is in as perfect condition as possible, and when the weather is genial and warm,, 

 then begin by feeding them with egg-food and soaked ants' eggs, and give them a 

 nest-box and nesting material. In the same nest of young birds you will likely 

 find some pure white, and some piebalds of various shades. The young should be 

 removed from the breeding-cage as soon as they can feed themselves ; because they 



