THE FINCHES. 91 



The Avadavat is one of the birds most commonly caged 

 in India and has been exported to Europe for centuries ; 

 indeed, the very name is a corruption of Ahmedabad, 

 the city whence presumably they used to be consigned. 

 The bird, although not frequenting compounds and gardens, 

 is a very common one, being found all over India and 

 Ceylon, and extending east to Singapore and Java. 

 Burmese specimens, and those from Flores and Timor, 

 are considered a distinct species (Sporceginthus flavi- 

 diventris), because the males have an orange belly instead 

 of a black one, the ordinary cock Avadavat being very 

 dark below. It is very probable that the light-bellied 

 bird is merely a variety, which has become fixed in some 

 localities. This Burmese bird breeds in October and 

 November, but the Indian one in the rains as well, having 

 apparently two broods a year. The nest is a round one, 

 placed near the ground, and the eggs are white. The 

 cock has a clear and pretty, though short, little song. 



The Avadavat lives well as a cage or aviary bird, but 

 seldom breeds in confinement. In a cage he should not 

 be crowded up with Munias, which have so much stronger 

 bills, although this is too frequently done. He should 

 have a little egg-food at all times if he will eat it, and 

 plenty of flowering grass, as well as the usual canary and 

 millet. Well treated, these tiny things will live for years. 

 There is only one other Indian Waxbill, the green 

 Avadavat (Stictospiza formosa), whose name denotes its 

 colour ; one or two foreign species are also imported at 

 times, and all these very small birds may well be kept 

 together. 



