34



Mr. H. E. Goddard,



failed. One pair of Cordons in my possession some years ago did get

as far as young birds, but as far as could be judged never attempted

to feed them. They built a very nice nest completely domed over,

with hole at side, well concealed in a wire flower basket. The

birds sat splendidly and there the matter ended. Possibly with

another attempt they might have succeeded hut, unfortunately, the

hen died, and although the cock bird lived for eight years and was

provided with other partners yet no hen lived long enough to go

to nest. Herein perhaps lies the difficulty in breeding these birds.

It seems almost an impossibility to get a true pair of birds to live

long enough to get thoroughly used to the climate and their surround¬

ings, either the cock or the hen “ pop off ” just when you think

you are about to he successful. But I suppose aviculture will

always be full of such disappointments.


With the other Waxbills or Avadavats I have never got

beyond eggs and, even when the birds laid, it was without the

slightest attempt at making a nest. Apart, however, from breeding,

their little lives are full of interest, the sprightly love dance of the

Cordon with his shrill whistle, the sweet little song of the Avadavat

and the warning note of the Orange-cheek, each has its charm.

Then again the plumage is not to be despised. What is more

beautiful than the full dress of the little cock Avadavat. It has

often seemed to me that if these birds were expensive they would

be much more highly prized. The one I have now was purchased

last Autumn out of colour. He started to don his full dress in

May and completed it by the end of June. The red patches on the

underparts appeared to extend gradually, but whether by moulting

the old feathers and growing fresh ones, or by the colour of the

existing feathers changing, I am unable to say. Has this point

ever been cleared up ?


I have found the Cordon Bleus the most difficult to get

acclimatised. They are usually in such poor condition when they

arrive here that it is no easy matter to pull them round. The best

thing, in my experience, when they will take it is the green fly

or aphis so common on our rose trees. The other Waxbills appear

to offer no special difficulty if they are in reasonably good condition

when purchased.



