34i



on Breeding of the Blue-breasted Waxbill.


a difference at that time. They never kissed, nor cuddled, nor

danced, nor quarrelled—but one did occasionally sing, and that

was important. They were perfectly quiet and self-contained,

and never let themselves go nor gave themselves away. They

were like two experienced runners who were waiting on, and

biding their time, knowing that their turn would come in due

course. But I had too many small cages to attend to, and was

pressed for room, so set them free in the birdroom : whatever the

sex, they were splendid birds.


Judging that the half-naked pair could not possibly nest

before the summer, and that they would come into condition with

better results if allowed liberty, during March the others were

turned loose ; and so it came about that April found the five

Blue-breasted Waxbills flying in the birdroom and in the adjoining

garden aviary.


It had always been my custom, as soon as the season came

round, to chuck these Waxbills into the reserved aviary, and

to leave them to sort themselves out as they might prefer ; it

seemed to be folly to expect such timid delicate creatures to

breed in such a treeless arid desert as the general aviary, with

its doubtful company; for “They prefer localities which are

partly open, partly overgrown with scrub or low trees, and are

specially fond of scattered mimosa bushes ” ; and “ The nest is

invariably built in a bush.” But success does not wait upon

carelessness ; and the results were incomplete. This year a pair

stole a march upon me and forced my hand, with results which

were eminently satisfactory to both parties.


It is one of the distinguishing marks of old age not only

to be garrulous with tongue or pen but to count heads when one

goes into the aviary ; and so I might have been seen, day after

day and many times a day, counting one , two, three , four — one,

two, three, four, reminding one that there had been a time when

little sisters practised upon the schoolroom piano, one, two, three,

four — one, two, three, four ; if I turned to the right, it was one, two,

three, four; and if I turned to the left it was still one, two, three,

four; whether in birdroom or aviary, in garden or house, it was

one, two, three, four — o?ie, tzvo, three, four —I never could get

beyond the “four” when counting the Blue-breasted Waxbills ;



