100 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 



it is not advisable to put more than one pair into an aviary 

 as they are hard fighters. Nor should they be associated' 

 with small and weak-billed birds such as Waxbills and 

 Canaries as they have been known to devour the brains of 

 such ! But this was probably when they were debarred 

 from their natural insect food ; for they are more insec- 

 tivorous than most Finches, and should always have a few 

 insects or a little egg-food daily. Too much soft food 

 should not be given, as they are rather apt to get unduly 

 fat. They have been known to breed in confinement 

 in Europe, making an open nest in a bush. When they 

 are breeding, particular care should be taken to keep up a 

 good supply of insects. Scarcely any Finch is such a 

 desirable aviary bird as this. It is big enough to be 

 striking, easily kept, and hardy and long-lived in either 

 a hot or cold climate, and its notes are not unmusical, 

 though it cannot be called a. great songster. 



THE SWALLOWS. 



The Swallows are an even better-marked family than 

 the Finches, and, like them, are found nearly everywhere. 

 They have small, flat, pointed beaks, wide mouths, very 

 small legs and feet, extremely long wings, and usually a 

 forked tail indeed their form is so familiar that they 

 hardly need description. They feed entirely on small 

 insects caught on the wing, and seldom perch, selecting a 

 dead bough or telegraph wire when they do settle. On 

 the ground they are very rarely seen, and when there they 

 walk, or rather waddle, instead of hopping like most small 



