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Dike our European Siskin and Redpoll, the Alario Finch

seems to have scarcely any fear of man, and very little objection

to captivity—it is, therefore, an ideal cage or aviary bird. I

have seen a cage full of these birds in a dealer’s shop, newly

arrived from Africa, and have noticed that instead of dashing

madly about when a hand was introduced into the cage, as most

other birds would have done, the Alario Finches contented

themselves with slipping quietly out of the way to avoid capture.

After a very short acquaintance with its master, the Alario

Finch becomes most engagingly tame, and of all foreign finches

it is the best adapted for a pet.


There seems to be no reason to suppose that this species is

otherwise than fairly common in South Africa, but it is imported

in very small numbers, and the importations generally consist of

cocks only. As it does not possess striking or gaudy colours it

commands neither a high price nor a ready sale, and is conse¬

quently not much sought after by the dealers. Aviculturists of

experience, however, value it highly, for it is a bird which only

requires to be known in order to be appreciated at its true value.

I consider the Alario Finch to be one of the most charming of

foreign cage birds.


It is perfectly harmless in the aviary, but two males will

often quarrel and spar in the manner of Canaries.


The Alario Finch has frequently been crossed with the

Canary, both here and on the Continent, and the hybrid has

been exhibited more than once at the Crystal Palace. It seems

scarcely possible that the species should not have reproduced

itself in Europe until 1S96, but I can find no record of its

breeding either in England or Germany. Dr. Russ says distinctly,

“ has not itself been bred.”


In the autumn of 1S95 I succeeded in obtaining two

females from Mr. Swaysland : one of these was a young bird in

good plumage and perfect health, which I placed in an aviary

with a male which had been in my possession for some time.

The male sang to the hen, but she never attempted to build.

The other female was considered by Mr. Swaysland to be a bird

which had recently nested in a state of freedom—he came to

this conclusion from the state of her plumage. This bird was

in very shabby condition, and, instead of improving after I

purchased her, she went from bad to worse, until she was almost

bare of feathers and I feared that she suffered from some

feather desease. However, about May she moulted, and came

into splendid plumage. Shortly after this I obtained from



