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There are also broods of Eong-tailed Grassfinches, Parson-

finches, and several common things about; but it is still early

for many of the more delicate foreigners to breed. I have

noticed my hen White-throated finch (Spermophila albigularis )

carrying about building material lately, so she may possibly nest

this year. The cocks of this species generally seem ready to

breed, but the hens are very reluctant to go to nest.


A pair of Black-headed Buntings (.Emberiza melanocephala )

have built a nest, or rather the hen has, composed entirely of

living grass (although there was plenty of dry hay about the

place). She is now sitting well, and I only hope I may succeed

in rearing the young, but I fear that unless I can suppl\ r insects

in abundance, I shall have a poor chance of doing so. Just

before the hen commenced to lay, I frequently heard the cock

utter his little song quite late at night, in fact often between

eleven and twelve o’clock; curiously enough he was often

answered by a crow from the Australian Painted Quail.


Just before the young Quails were hatched, I thought it

advisable to shut up my pair of Sacred Kingfishers in case they

might consider the young Quails a dainty morsel for a meal.

The day following, the largest, but least brilliantly coloured of

the two, laid an egg on the floor of their compartment. It is

pure white, more or less transparent, conical in shape, and

measures 1-15 by ’85 in. I had often seen this bird go in and

out of a log nest, so that perhaps had I not shut the pair up they

might have bred.


I caught a pair of Chaffinches early in 1899, which this

spring have had two nests. Each time young have been hatched,

but have only lived a few days. It seems almost impossible to

supply enough insect food to enable these birds to rear their

young.


A pair of Bullfinches, caught in December last, have also

had a nest but failed to rear the young. Bullfinches, I believe,

feed their young at first entirely upon insects, and I was unable

to supply mine with enough, although there was always a liberal

supply of soft food, composed mainly of egg, crissd, and pre¬

served ants’ eggs, at their disposal.


I hope others may follow my example, and let us have

accounts, however short, of the doings in their aviaries.



