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Dr. A. G. Butler,



castanotis in 1896 built but did not lay. A pair purchased in

1905 built and began to lay but were driven from their nest by

a pair of Mania piectoralis.


Tceniopygia castanotis. I bred dozens of this common little

species without difficulty.


Aidemosyne modesta. Built in a bush in one of my indoor

aviaries and laid a full clutch of eggs, but the parents suddenly and

unaccountably disappeared. I suspected mice of having carried them

off, since no trace of the birds could be found.


Amaclina fascicita. My first pair of this species bred without

the least trouble, but all others received later suffered from the usual

fault, — egg'-binding, which causes the death of most of the hens.


Amadina erythrocephala. I never succeeded in breeding this

species, all the hens died from egg-binding.


Uroloncha acuticauda. Readily nested in a flight-cage, but

never succeeded in rearing young until paired up with a Bengalee

( U. domestica of Flower). Of the latter, which I regard as of hybrid

origin, I have bred all three varieties at various times.


Munia punctulata. Has built and laid in my aviaries, but

has never hatched out.


Munia maja. Nested and laid, but was too restless to hatch

its eggs.


Munia atricapilla. Repeatedly built and laid, but never

hatched an egg.


Munia oryzivora. I have bred this common species freely,

both in cage and aviary, in all its varieties.


Spermestes cucullatus. A hen paired with Poephila cincta

built repeatedly, but never laid.


Hypochera chalybeatce. Hens which went to nest in my bird-

room died from egg-binding.


Ilypochera ultramarina. The same observation applies to

this as to the preceding species.


Pyromelana franciscana. Built in a cage in 1885, but both

sexes died before eggs were produced. In 1899 one egg' was laid in

another aviary, but not in a nest.


Quelea quelea. Built frequently, and on one occasion laid

two eggs which subsequently disappeared from the nest, probably

devoured by some other bird.



