349



Notes 071 Hybrid Ploceidce.



specialized living creatures now existing, * it is probable that

those species which still retain such primitive markings are of

far greater antiquity and more nearly resemble the ancestral

types of their family than those in which sharply defined spotting

such as we note on the Diamond- and Painted-finches, is found:

moreover the generally dull colouring of the Mannikins seems to

favour the view of their antiquity as contrasted with the more

typical Grass-finches.


It is, I think, probable that the Waxbills are an offshoot

from the Grassfinches, which in many respects they resemble :

they are more sprightly in their movements, have better trained

voices, and though they court their wives much in the same

fashion, holding a long grass-stem in their beaks, they hold their

beaks pointing upwards rather thau in the depressed fashion

common to the Grassfinches and Mannikins.


Among the various hybrids between Ploceid finches re¬

corded by the late Dr. Russ, are not a few which have since been

bred in the British Isles: unfortunately Russ omits to record the

names of the breeders and Mr. Hawkins is just as uncommuni¬

cative with regard to those exhibited of late years at our bird-

shows.


Taking them in the order of my “ Foreign Finches in

Captivity,” the following is a list:—


Waxbil,ls.


Sporosgintkus melpodus x Estrilda cinerea.


,, ,, x ,, • astrilda.


These are recorded by Russ, but the late Mr. Allon had the

former also in his aviary.


Sporceginthus subflavus x Estrilda chierea.


,, ,, x Sporoeginthus amandava.


,, ,, x Lagonosticta minima.


All recorded in Russ’ “ Handbuch fiir Vogelliebhaber.”


Sporcegbithus amandava x A. subflavus.



* Darwin pointed this out in the case of the ocellated spots in the Argus-pheasant,

and I called his attention to the fact that the development of somewhat similar spots

simulating shells of the genus Cyprea, or pierced hazel-nuts, can easily be traced on the

wings of moths of the genus Brahmcea (c f. Darwin, Descent of Man, vol, II., p. 143 and

Butler, Bepidoptera Kastica, p. 78.)



