342



Mr. R. Philupps.



and it was with a sore heart that, on May n, I turned the four

survivors into the reserved aviary, for I cannot bear that a bird

should die. And this case was the more annoying' and uncom¬

fortable as the missing Rake had appeared to be in perfect health,

and there did not seem to be any adequate cause for its departure.


While driving the Waxbills into the reserved aviary, I had

noticed in a sort of way that the lonely Rake was unwilling to go

and all the rest of the day it sat at the door pleading to be allowed

to return ; but that seemed to be not unnatural in the circum¬

stances, and I thought little of it—some people are so dense !


Early on the following morning I heard the call of a Blue¬

breasted Waxbill, and, on peeping out of my bedroom window,

was just in time to see the much lamented deceased give an

uneasy turn or two and disappear amongst some birch brooms:—

the missing bird was sitting, and I had separated the two birds !


After restoring the Rake to its mate, there remained three

in the reserved aviary; of these I have little to say, for the

foliage became very thick, and I could see but little of what was

going on.


Jacob was a deceiver as of old, and he threw over the dis¬

figured Rachel and took up with Reah—and small blame to him,

for if damsels will make such Guys of themselves little wonder

if sensible people treat them as toys and turn elsewhere.


I have the simple note, under the date of the 28th May,,

that Jacob and Leah had a nest in such and such a place. This

spot had been specially prepared and arranged with the view of

enticing tree-loving birds to seek its shelter for nesting purposes,

so it was not by chance that the Blue-breasted Waxbills set up

housekeeping in this protected and well-favoured situation in

preference to their usual bush or tree-top. They commenced to

sit on May 31.


I have not another note respecting them until July 8;

nor, indeed, had I many thoughts for them, as the Pied Rock-

Thrushes and one or two other species were occupying my

attention at that time.


On July 8, desiring to look into some matter, I intruded

farther than usual into the inner recesses of the reserved aviary.

At the end, there is a large thickly branched lime bush-tree.



