On the Nesting of the Yellow Sparrow. 75


Two neighbours went to law concerning the ownership of a rice

field. The loser, vowing vengeance, procured a cageful of

Weavers from Madagascar. Since then it has been impossible

to grow rice at a profit in the Seychelles.


At my brother’s bungalow, these Weavers and the Zebra

Doves (Geopelia striata ) which abound on the estate, come every

afternoon to be fed with rice. Anyone holding out a handful of

rice at the feeding place will at once have his hand and arm

covered with fluttering, fighting little scarlet Weavers. The

Doves are just as charming in their way, and more peaceable.

They are ridiculously tame for “ wild ” birds, and when we were

sitting in the verandah they would often perch on our shoulders

or walk over our books. This is certainly an ideal way to

keep and enjoy birds.


Occasionally we saw a small Hawk, much like our Kestrel,

and at night Owls sometimes flew round the house. Of these

Owls the negroes have a superstitious horror. They believe that

they are inhabited by evil spirits, and for fear of them they can¬

not be persuaded to enter the forest at night, or to sleep in a

house from which Owls can be heard.


A high price has been set upon this Owl’s head by Euro¬

pean collectors, but as it keeps almost entirely to the dense

virgin forest, specimens are seldom procured.



THE NESTING OF THE YELLOW SPARROW.


Passer luteus.


By Mrs. Howard Williams.


Sometime in July of last year while on a bird hunting

expedition in the East of London, I discovered some birds, then

quite new to me, with bright yellow heads and bodies and brown

Sparrow-like wings and tail. The dealer told me they were

Yellow Sparrows, and added that he had one hen, to be dis¬

tinguished by a light-coloured beak only.


I carried home a supposed pair which were placed in an

aviary in the conservatory, where many young have been hatched

out, and sat down to wait events.


They proved exceedingly nervous birds, retreated to the



