on Nestling Gouldian Finches. 125


under tail-coverts white; under wing-coverts white faintly

tinged with 3^ellow at the base ; flights below leaden-greyish ;

beak darker than in adult bird; feet flesh-coloured, the digits

dusky below ; eyes too much sunken for description.


At an earlier age the green wash on the upper parts and

wings is less strongly defined ; the adult colouring is undoubtedly

acquired partly, if not entirely, by a gradual moult, the new

feathers being developed over the old which then become loose

and gradually fall out (I watched this process in caged 3'oung

birds in 1896).


Although my recent experience with this species would

seem to indicate that our climate is unsuited in the winter to

the requirements of Gouldian (as well as possibly Ringed) finches,

it must be remembered that the cock and two hen adult birds

and the other young one are none the worse for the ordeal ; and

though I shall not again leave them outside so late in the year

because of the suburban position of my garden, I should have

no hesitation in doing so in any part of the country less liable to

be visited by Loudon fogs or cold penetrating mists : clear dry

frosts only seem to enliven these birds.


There is not the least doubt that I could have left my

Tambourine Doves and Chinese Quails outside without risk all

the winter, but it is more pleasant to look after them indoors in

inclement weather.


On examining the various nesting receptacles I found

about two dozen eggs of Poephila goiddicz, some long since dried

up, others evidently laid quite recently : indoors the mothers

would certainly have died from egg-binding ; I succeeded in

blowing eight eggs for the cabinet.


Before leaving the Gouldian-finch, perhaps it would be

well to say something about its various notes : — The ordinary call

is a double note, or sort of t see- wee ; its note of defiance is a

sort of ting or Hang, also I think a note of alarm ; then the bird

has an aggravating trick when alighting on its nest of uttering a

rapid chich-ich-ich-ich-ich followed by its ordinary call-note which

is very misleading to the breeder, who imagines that he has

young in the nest when there are o\\\y eggs : it was this last trick

which tempted me to keep my birds out so late in the year 1906,



