on the Olive Finch.



175



Olive Finches, however sociable they maybe among them¬

selves when wild, do not, in captivity, save under exceptional

circumstances, associate or interfere with birds of other genera,

grassfinches or otherwise. Although inseparable, the male aud

female do not usually cuddle together; as a rule, I think, they

prefer roosting in the open, especially in a natural tree, to sleep¬

ing in a box or nest; so far as I have been able to observe, when

they sleep under cover, invariably from preference in a natural

nest, they do so for warmth and shelter—and may be in order to

hide from prying eyes when in a small or exposed-to-view cage

or aviary.


Food :—Indian aud spray millet, canary, millet. Needless

to add that, when in the garden at any rate, suitable “ green ”

seeds would be very acceptable. When feeding young, they

certainly are keen after “ green ” seeds, although the young may

be reared without them. At page 341 of vol. IV. of our New

Series, Mr. Setli-Smith writes :—“ I supplied flowering grass daily~

... .A pair of Olive Finches had a hungry brood near by, which

they too seemed to feed almost entirely upon grass-seed.” Pre¬

sumably they take aphides, but I am unable to make any definite-

statement on that point.


The female of this species I have found to be a fairly good

liver, quite a good liver when acclimatized, if not left out in the

garden altogether until too late in the autumn, nor left in the

presence of the male say from mid-winter until about May. Not

so the male, who, with me, had a weakness for going off at a few

(30—40) hours’ notice from inflammatiomor bronchial trouble. It

seems to have no stamina—great warmth steadily maintained is

the only thing which I know of that affords even temporary relief.

I used sometimes to think that his fiery ardent nature might have

something to do with this. For in truth he is a truculent fellow,

which causes embarrassment in the management. In my judg¬

ment, the best treatment during the cold season is to remove the

females out of sight and hearing ; more than one male may then,

be allowed to fly together, the more the merrier if there be plenty

of space. Let them fly loose, with other birds, in a very moder¬

ately warmed birdroom, and let them have a little fly and peck

(of inestimable value) in the open garden-aviary on not too cold



