326 Mr, R. Phiujpps,


them about, with two principal results: (i) If there be many

birds in the same aviary with them, they become cowed and will

not assert themselves, so that, if the place be large, even two

pairs may be kept together without very great danger ; but such

a state of things is not satisfactory, for it means that the true

uature of the bird is more or less suppressed and hidden.

(2) Although they may nest, it is unlikely that they will breed

successfully. But I do not say positively that they will not

breed successfully, for happily there is a reserve of stubbornness

and quiet obstinacy about the species which becomes developed

in connection with nesting if they be given anything like a

chance. The following will help to illustrate these points, and

will lead up to other matters.


Last year, owing to illness and laziness, I allowed all my

birds (the Burrowing Owls excepted), large and small, to fly to-

gether as they liked, the connecting holes between the two

aviaries, and between the aviaries and the birdroom, being left

open. This arrangement, or want of arrangement, as may be

supposed, spoilt most of the nesting ; more than once during

the summer my auger burned within me at the sight of aggressive

knaves wrecking a nest, and I caught the culprits and clipped

their wing-feathers ; but, for the most part, everything was left

to take its chance. After some preparatory shuffling, the two

pairs of Violet-eared Waxbills found themselves in contact.

Then came a period of chasing ; but, owing to the lengthy

space, the amount of covert, and especially to the division

of the place into three well defined sections and the good

condition of the weaker male, the strength of the pursuer

always failed before he could work mischief. For a time,

the weaker pair kept much to the bird-room, from which

they would make occasional sallies ; and, thanks to the

trees and the other birds, after a while they so far established

themselves along a narrow slip of the inner aviary as actually

to build two nests. One of these was built back to back

with a Blue - breasted Waxbills',* some 9 ft. off the ground. The


* This Blue-breasted Waxbills' nest was a curiosity in its way. It was constructed

and occupied by two males, one of which assumed the role of a female, and sat steadily for

the best part of the summer, until, indeed, the ' male', who had found a way out of the

aviary and went backwards and forwards at will, finally disappeared. The ' female ' is still

with me, and is au undoubted male. They were both old birds without mates.— R. P.



