THE SEX OF PARROT FINCHES.



Sir, —As regards determining the sex of Parrot Finches, I may

perhaps be allowed to add a few words to the discussion of the subject. I

believe I had the first pair ever imported. When I made a chance purchase

of three Parrot Finches about 20 years ago, I made, what I believed, were

•exhaustive enquiries and found that only one bird of the species had until

then been seen in Europe, and had found its wa}^ to thejardin d’Acclimata-

tion in Paris. My three birds were at first sight exactly alike, and it required

a rather close examination to find a material difference in the size of the red

mask. One of the three was blind in one eye and otherwise damaged and

soon eliminated, but luck would have it that the remaining two were a pair,

for the}' soon bred successfully, and in course of time I bred from their,

progeny. I do not know whether other amateurs have succeeded since in

breeding this very beautiful and most amiable bird. It seems to me to be

•comparatively easy to do so. I have no doubt that the only difference in

the plumage of the male and female is, that the red face of the female will

he found, on close examination, sensibly smaller than the male’s.


The age of the birds must also be considered. When leaving the nest

the young birds were green all over and the red onl}' appeared after their

■second moult and seemed to me to grow larger as the breeding season

arrived. When the birds were in full plumage and in full health and

basking in the sun, their green plumage had a slight tinge of a golden

■sheen.


I should place the Parrot Finches in the foremost rank of those

foreign finches which are likely to repay close attention by amateurs.


Aug. F. Wiener.



SOME BRAZILIAN BIRDS.


Sir, — It may interest some of the readers of the Avicultural Magazine

to hear that the Brazilian Hangnest is called in his native country

“ Bem-ti-vi.” This pretty, lively bird is seen very frequently in the gardens

near Rio de Janeiro flying towards evening, from tree to tree, perching 011

the highest branches and calling something which sounds very much like

Bem-ti-vi, which, translated from Portugese into English, means “ I see you

well.”


The Saffron Finch is there seen as often by the road-side, perching 011

hedges as the Chaffinch does here. To breed this bird in the cage would be

almost as easy as breeding our common Canaries, provided it is borne in

mind that his breeding season coincides with our winter; we don’t keep him

in an absolutely cold room, and we supply artificial light enough to feed his

brood during the long winter evenings and before the sun rises at Christmas.

It would be amusing for many amateurs to breed something during the

winter. I fancy that to rear his young the Saffron Finch will require a trifle

more animal food than the Canary, a little more egg, an odd mealworm at

times, or a few good ant’s-eggs.


The pretty Green Cardinal, too, breeds more readily in the cage than

his gaudier Red-lieaded cousins. I found mine not very particular as to

seasons, but that may have been individual. But their broods were never

numerous at any time. My Green Cardinals always proved harmless to

other birds, whilst the Red-headed Cardinals were tyrants and murderers



