50



Mr. Philip H. Bahk,



extremely common and familiar bird, and its numbers do not

appear to have suffered from the attentions of the Mongoose

which is responsible for the extinction of many forms of life on

the islands to which it was introduced some twenty-five years

ago.


It is a familiar species, frequenting the gardens of the

European residents, to whom it is known as the Croton Finch

from its partiality to those bushes.


In their natural state it feeds to a great extent on grass

seeds, especially a most pernicious kind, well known to every

inhabitant of these islands. This seed is provided with a

long terminal spine which works its way into every article of

clothing and constitutes one of the curses of the colony. In the

months of March and April they frequent the rice fields, tilled

by the imported Indian coolies, and are then said to be caught

in great numbers.


During my stay in these islands, however, it had always

been my intention to procure as large a number of these birds as

possible. One day an Indian brought six of these birds in a

basket and offered them for sale. They had evidently been

starved for some time and a few died almost immediately. One

survived, and him we used as a call bird with some considerable

success. In the absence of any other practical means a sparrow

trap was erected, consisting of the baby’s bath propped up with

a stick, under which seed was spread, and our captive was placed

in an improvised cage alongside as a lure ; a string was then run

from the prop of the trap to some handy window in the bungalow.

By these simple means we soon caught a few more ; the bath,

however, proved unsatisfactory in many ways, and was replaced

by a more serviceable wooden framework covered with fine mesh

wire and provided with a door at one side through which the

prisoner could be with safety abstracted. This proved a great

success, and, during the months of September and October, the

bag was swelled by additions of two, and sometimes three or

more Finches every day; my wife becoming an adept at working

the trap.


During this time the greater number were young birds

accompanying their parents in family parties; they were nil-



