Notes on Hybrid Ploceidcz.



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crossed with Estrilda astrilda, StaganopleJira guttata as already

noted, and Aidemosyne cantans.


Aidemosyne cantans x Estrilda astrilda.


,, ,, x Tceniofiygia castanotis.


„ ,, x Aidemosyne malabarica.


,, ,, x Urolo 7 icha striata , var.


,, ,, x Munia punctulata.


,, ,, x Munia maja.


Mr. Clayton also crossed this Silverbill with the Java

Sparrow (Munia ( Padda ) oryzivora ) and Mr. Dell with the Sharp¬

tailed finch (Urolo?icha acuticauda').


A idemosy?ie malabarica x Spermestes nana.


Recorded by Mr. Seth-Smith. It has also bred with

Aidemosyne cantans and Munia castaneithorax.


Mannikins.


Some years ago a writer to the “ Feathered World ” stated

that he had bred mules from the Bengalee (now generally re¬

garded as the domesticated representative of Urolo?icha striata )

and a domesticated Canary : although the production of such a

hybrid may perhaps be possible the statement was never con¬

firmed.


It is not improbable that Dr. Greene’s correspondent, who

remembered having once bred from a Mannikin (species not

indicated) and a Cape Canary may have been tricked by his

memory. What is more likely, after the lapse of years, than that

memory should have confounded Alario alario with Munia

malacca ?


We know that the Alario-finch has hybridized with the

Cape Canary (cf. “Avic. Mag.” N.S., Vol. IV., p. 134).


• If, as seems probable, the Bengalee is only Uroloncha

striata in various domesticated guises, the pairing of the wild

and domesticated forms cannot be admitted as mule-breeding

and therefore may be ignored.


U?’oloncha striata x U. acuticauda.


,, ,, x Poephila cincta.


,, ,, x Aidemosy?ie cantans


,, ,, x Munia punctulata.


,, ,, x Mimia castaneithorax.


,, ,, x Munia maja.



