344



Mr. R. Phiixipps.



these birds built a second nest in a protected box facing due

east. The Lovebirds could not get in, but the east wind could,

and nothing came of it. I have so far not been able to examine

the nest. This is the first occasion with me that a Blue-breasted

Waxbill has built a nest in an artificial receptacle.


Some little time elapsed before they could agree upon

another site, but eventually they took possession of a well con¬

cealed box which is perfectly sheltered from wind and rain. On

June 24 they were building, and they commenced to sit on the

27th or 28th, doubtless on or about the time of the laying of the

first egg. The young presumably commenced to hatch out on

July 13, as it was on that day that the male for the first time

became importunate, and demanded live insects with nearly as

much insistence as the Pied Rock-Thrushes had done five

weeks earlier.


Just about the same time, a pair of Cuba Finches (. Phoni-

para canora ) were nesting not far away. The positions of the

two nests were practically identical ; the birds were in the same

aviary, with the same enemies, and with access to the same food ;

both species are seed-eaters, if anything, the Blue-breasted Wax-

bill might be supposed to confine itself more strictly to a diet of

seed than the Cuba Finch. Some of the differences between the

two species while breeding were so marked as to be deserving of

being placed on record in the Avicultural Magazine.


All through the period of incubation, and during the first

few days of the lives of the nestlings, at almost any time that one

might chance to look into the aviary there would be seen usually

both of the old Cubas and assuredly only one of the Waxbills.

In past years, I had noticed the remarkable way in which strange

Cuba Finches would appear in the aviary quite unexpectedly,

springing from somewhere or nowhere without warning, and

Minerva-like bursting upon one fully feathered, and fluttering

about like moths, a trifle larger it may be but infinitely more

perky and self-assured ; so this year I especially watched the old

birds. The male was fond of collecting material—but only to

drop it; he was never seen to take it anywhere. Then I would

count heads—for the moment I might see only one, but, on look¬

ing again, there they would be, both of them, quietly pecking



