198 Mr. W. E. Teschemaker,


gradually lost the conspicuous markings of the latter. The

changed conditions of a life in captivity and a more humid

atmosphere however cause it, to a certain extent, to reassume

the markings which it has lost on account of its desert life. . Of

course only a vei'y few examples, perhaps not more than one per

cent, ever do change colour.


Whatever the true explanation of the change may be, it

seems to me that the two forms are not distinct species, but only

local races, and in classification, are only entitled to be ranked

as sub-species.



THE NESTING OF SERIN US ANGOLENSIS.

By W. E. Teschemaker.


Last summer one of our members brought home with him

from the Transvaal seven Yel low-rum ped Serins, and four of

these came into my possession on the 23rd of August. As their

former owner informed me that two of those he imported sang

very well on the voyage home, whereas mine did not sing, I

concluded that the two males were not amongst those sent to me

so I ended by acquiring all seven.


The Yellow-rumped Serin is easily described ; it only

differs from the Grey-singing Finch in having a yellow rump..


As autumn nesting always seems to end in failure— and

often in disaster — I kept the Serins indoors in a large flight cage

until the 7th January (last), when I turned out one pair in a very

small heated house and the remainder in an outdoor aviary.


Although we had our full share in Devonshire of the

memorable cold snap at the end of Januar}', the first mentioned

pair of Serins soon went to nest and commenced to sit on the 6th

of February on three eggs. I examined these eggs at a distance

of only a few inches but, for all that, I will not venture to des-

cribe them, as my experience is that one is likely to make the

most ridiculous mistakes in the matter of the colour of eggs

unless one has them actually in one's hand and in a good light.

I have since seen two more clutches of eggs of this species. The

three eggs in one clutch were of a light blue ground colour and

absolutely -unspotted. The other clutch had a warmer ground



