on Nesting of Yellow-mmped and Chestnut-breasted Finches. 119


mighty push from behind. The latter made one final effort, just

barely reached the alighting perch and sprang with one bound

into the nest. The delight of these two old birds was good to

see. If some of those who teach the doctrine of the " unconscious

intelligence" of birds could have seen this little episode I think

it would have given them cause to reflect !


On May 15th I left home with a friend, a camera, and a

small motor-launch to make the acquaintance of the Great

Crested Grebe and the Bearded Tit in their homes in Broad-laud.

On my return (May 28th) there was only one young Flaviprymna

but he was to be seen flying about and very fit until the end of

September, when I missed him.


The same pair of birds laid again but did not hatch, and


the other newly-imported pair hatched but did not rear the


young.


We will now turn to the original pair in the Waxbills'


aviary. This species seems to moult (in this country) twice a

year — the spring moult taking place at some time between the

middle of April and the end of May, and the autumn moult

between the middle of October and the end of November. It

follows then that, unless M. flavipry??ma goes to nest quite early

in the season, no nesting is likely to occur until quite late in the

summer. It was not until the last week in July that this pair

built (again in a nest box). I think these were quite old birds.

The late Dr. Russ is said to have succeeded best with young

birds but, as far as my experience goes, older birds seem often to

do very well. They lose something in point of vigour no doubt

but they have a great pull in the matter of experience. No

doubt a combination of the two would be best.

"Si jeunesse savait;

Si vieillese pouvait."


This old hen only laid two eggs (usual clutch four) but two

smart little birds left the nest on August 19th. As this aviary is

so small I was able to get accurate notes of the change of colour ;

and I will now give some of these notes as nearly as possible

verbatim.


Aug. 19. The young Flavis are studies in brown ; they

are so dark on the crown and round the beak as to look blackish^--'

but no doubt there are some sheath feathers here.



