274



Dr. L. Lovell-Keays,



one is in view. They made a very good attempt at breeding in 1914

and built a nest of hay at the very top of the aviary and hidden in a

Retinospora. There were two egg's of very pale greenish blue,

somewhat elliptical in shape and large for so small a bird. This

seems a characteristic of softbills, as far as my experience goes.

Both eggs hatched out and the parents fed most assiduously, but I

was the murderer I believe. I offered the parents gentles and black

aphis from an elder tree. The young died the same day, aged about

5-6 days as far as I could determine.


They made no further attempt at nesting in 1914, and in

November I gathered them up and put them with my most treasured

feathered possessions in my best bird room, I didn’t doubt the

wintering-out-of-doors theory a little bit, but then you see I wasn’t

taking any risks with my favourites. Consequently they went

through the winter living entirely on sop made of sponge cake and

Swiss milk (mixed, of course, w T ith hot water) and banana as their

staple diet. Insectile mixture was offered to them and oranges and

grapes occasionally. They seldom if ever took mealworms, for

Zosterops don’t like the ground at all. They suffered no appreciable

moult, and never looked sad, sick, or sorry. They never bullied

others nor tolerated interference themselves. They behaved them¬

selves like perfect little gentle-folk.


About April 5th I noticed the cock bird carrying grass, which

I had supplied to amuse the Parrot Finches to keep them from

“ chivvying ” the other birds too much. So I decided to risk it and

turn them out into my Grassfinches’ aviary. They at once set about

nest-building but seemed to lack something. I tried various things,

but found that string well ravelled out, tow and horse-hair pleased

them best. With this they constructed the most exquisite little

cradle nest it has ever been my lot to see in an aviary. I am no

draughtsman, so I got Mr. E. A. Jones, of East Hoathly, to make a

drawing which is being reproduced for the purpose of illustrating this

article. It was built in an Aucuba in a very well-sheltered corner

and quite low down. I could watch every incident as it happened

and I will quote from my diary as I noticed the events. The nest

is singularly small for the size of bird, and measures but If inches

in diameter and is two inches deep. It is quite globular and very



