76 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



and coarser feet than the more migratory Finches of 

 temperate regions, are usually separated as a distinct 

 family, as in the Fauna of British India series, but there 

 seems to be no sufficient justification for this, and I shall 

 here class them all together. 



Owing to their vegetable-feeding habits, the Finches 

 are of*n destructive in a wild state, though many do 

 good service by eating the seeds of weeds. In captivity 

 they are the favourite cage-birds in most countries, 

 though not in India, where insectivorous birds are more 

 favoured. For aviaries they are popular everywhere, as 

 a large and varied collection of them can be so easily 

 obtained and kept. 



They are, however, less easily tamed, less graceful in 

 form and interesting in habits than insectivorous and 

 fruit-eating birds. In keeping Finches together they 

 must be associated according to the calibre of their bills 

 rather than the size of their bodies, since the fighting- 

 power of the bird depends on the weapon he carries. 



Several species will breed in captivity, and such should 

 receive insects and soft food at the breeding season. At 

 other times, soft food is not good for Finches, as they 

 ought to exercise their jaws and gizzard in feeding, and 

 swallowing a lot of soft pasty stuff, which can be readily 

 assimilated makes them too fat. 



However, when they are kept with birds which live on 

 such food, the risk must be run ; but they do not usually 

 care much for soft food when not feeding young. 



Some species of Finches the Canary, Java Sparrow and 

 sharp-tailed Munia have been completely domesticated, 



