43


at night ; and, although the weather became very cold — the

thermometer falling almost to freezing-point on two or three

occasions — the first egg was successfully hatched on the loth of

Odlober, the second youngster leaving the shell two days later.


The old birds proved most devoted parents, never allowing

their charges to be uncovered. Had they been less attentive to

their young, the latter must have succumbed in a very short

time to the cold. The young birds left the nest when just over

two weeks old, but were fed by their parents until they had

attained the age of six' weeks or more.


The 3^oung closely resembled their parents fi'om the first,

but the wing-markings were less distinct. The cock showed

clearly the burnt-sienna on the forehead when still in the nest.


I consider Bronze-wings the most attractive of the larger

of the foreign Doves. They are of a tame nature, and do not

knock themselves about when one enters the aviary, as do many

of the Dove tribe. Mine are fed upon canary and millet seed,

and a little hemp occasionally.


There is a closely allied species, the Phaps elegans, or

Opaline Pigeon, which is not uncommon in manj^ parts of

Australia ; but I have never seen it offered for sale, neither is

it represented in the Zoological Gardens. It would doubtless

be a most desirable species for aviculturists. It is of a richer

brown than, and in many respects closely resembles, its

congener.



SOME RARE BUNTINGS.

By R. A. Todd.


I have recently acquired three Finches not often met with

in captivit}^ regarding which some notes may be of interest to

members of the Society.


The most conspicuous is the Towhee or so-called Red Kyed

Ground Finch of North America (Pipilo erythrophthahnus) . In

colour it is curiously similar to the Shama ; the head, back and

wings, deep glossy black ; chest, breast and abdomen, white ;

sides, bright chestnut ; tail, black, the outer feathers being white

on the outer side. The hen is brownish where the cock is black.

Size rather over seven inches, including tail, which is over three

inches long. Dr. Sharpe places this species among the Buntings,

but the position is not unquestioned. The name is derived from

the cry very frequently uttered by the cock, and is a very close

imitation of it. The bird is undoubtedly pugnacious, and should

only be associated with others of its own size. It takes readily



