allied to T. risorius, and only a shade smaller: whereas, the Crested Doves

(or Pigeons) are very distantly related.


This question is of interest to a very few members, and I must

apologise for having taken up valuable space with it, but a member

recently suggested rearing Parrakeets in this way, and it will be as well

to consider whether Barbary Doves may be depended upon to bring up

other Doves before trying the experiment with so widely distinct a race as

the Psittacidce.


D. SETH-SMITH.



BREEDING OF GREEN SINGING FINCHES.


Sir, —The February number of the Magazine contains a note by

Mr. Catleugh on the above subject, in which he apparently claims to be

the only successful breeder of Green Singing Finches. Possibly this may

be literally true, but I have had an interesting experience in this con¬

nection which I will relate.


When I first stocked our aviary—which readers will remember is a

garden one without any artificial heat—I bought two Green and two Grey

Singing Finches, hoping that each two would prove a pair. -No nesting

took place the first summer, and in the following winter one of each two

died. The survivors happened to be cock (Green) and hen (Grey). In the

early Spring these two became very friendly, and in due course a nest was

built, eggs were laid and young hatched, and by about the middle of April

two young ones left the nest—fine, strong young birds. Each year the

same pair has produced the same result. Their nesting period is always

very early, the young are always two in number and always grey, though

lighter than the mother, and the young cocks have the streak over the eyes

very plainly marked ; they are fine singers, but apt to be quarrelsome in

the breeding season. So far, I have not seen any disposition on the part of

the young ones themselves to breed.


The nest is a very poor loosely-constructed structure — possibly due to

the fact that it is built so early in the year, before building material is

supplied—and is always placed in a bunch of gorse, quite close to the front

wire of the aviary, so that the bird can be clearly seen sitting, and in fact

the whole domestic life of the family is open to public observation. The

first year, the first nest was poked out by some miscreant with his walking

stick; the second year it was so slight that I had to put an old Hedge

Sparrows’ nest under it, and this quite swallowed it up, but the hen went

on steadily with her incubation. This year there was one egg laid on the

23rd March. The birds are perfectly hardy, and iii the keenest winter

night will sleep on a curled scroll of iron-work which forms a bracket to

support a roof-joist. I have sometimes taken away the bunch of gorse with

which we ornament the bracket, hoping its removal would lead to the bird

seeking a more sheltered position inside the house-place, but she would

not budge, aud so the gorse has been replaced to afford such protection as

it may.


I can recommend these birds as being well worth keeping, for they

require no special food—millet and canary seed with a little of Abrahams’

soft food and plenty of fresh chickweed answering all their needs.


Charees Iy. RoTHERA.



