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Dr. A. G. Butler,



becomes very tame in confinement, and the late Rev. H. A.

Macpherson informed me that it had “ a very sweet song.” I can

hardly imagine any Sparrow having a sweet song, but perhaps his

bird had acquired the song of some other Finch by imitation: young

Sparrows are rather clever in this respect.


Of the common Saffron-finch I have had and bred many

examples, but of Pelzelu’s Saffron-finch I only had a pair, which I

imported in 1893 ; the male soon died, but the female lived for some

years. Of Yellowish finches I have had several differing not a little

in size and colouring, so that I am rather sceptical respecting the

value of two or three of the forms kept separate by Museum

ornithologists. The song of all the species of Sycalis is very poor,

and many of the notes would no doubt be excruciating to any person

likely to have his teeth set on edge; I never suffered from that

nervous affection myself.


Of Serins (or Canaries) I have kept the Cape Canary, the

Sulphur Seed-eater, the St. Helena Seed-eater, the Green Singing-

finch, a hen White-throated Seed-eater, the Grey Singing-finch, and

the Alario-finch. Some of these birds quarrel fiercely with other

male Serins, the little Grey Singing-finch apparently fighting more

for fun than in earnest; it is a beautiful and indefatigable songster,

and a great favourite of mine. Oddly enough I found the more

powerful species with the heavier beaks the least inclined to bo

aggressive.


Of Rose-finches I have kept the Scarlet Rose-finch and the

Purple Rose-finch, quiet pleasing birds, without much constitutional

vigour apparently, for they both died early. Of Pine Grosbeaks I

received half-a-dozen in 1896, delightfully tame birds, but before the

end of the year they all died. A pair of Crossbills which I had, used

to undo the fastening of their cage and work havoc in my green¬

house ; I did not regret their loss. Like our Linnets, all these birds

are rather unsatisfactory from the fact that the beautiful rose¬

colouring of the males disappears at the first moult in captivity and

is replaced by yellow or orange. Of course I have had numerous

Lesser Redpolls, Twites and Linnets ; they are rather selfish and

quarrelsome in an aviary, and Redpolls are a nuisance from their



