on the Violet-eared Waxbill. 329


one in which the Violets now were sitting, the two nests being

back to back and attached the new to the old.* Occasionally,

when the Rings were unusually tiresome, I would see the male

Violet come slowly forth with bristles erect, like some faithful

coach-yard dog who approaches a doubtful stranger ; the Rings

would just flit off a yard or so, but in no instance were they

injured, or even pursued. I may finish this case off by adding

that the Violets sat most faithfully, through the cold and wet,

not relaxing their devotion to duty for a moment until October 7,

when, finding their labour hopeless, they closed the aperture

with a feather and went elsewhere. There were two clear eggs

in the nest, which I compared with those of like species in my

cabinet; but I had none which closely corresponded with them.

They were small elongated ovals, perhaps a hair-breadth shorter

than those of the Blue-breasted Waxbill but much less stout.


My birds have moulted only once during the last twelve

mouths, but the process occurred at different times with different

individuals, and extended altogether from November until the

beginning of May. It was more or less mixed up with their

early thoughts of nesting, and probably had much to do with

their erratic behaviour this summer, the breeding impulses,

usually strongest in the spring and in the autumn, of the males

and females not being always conterminous. It must be borne

in mind with this species that their natural summer occurs during

•our winter.


I have not been so well pleased with their singing this

year; they have rather displayed a disposition to bring in their

call-notes, and other cries, the result of contact with bad com-

panions.


The murder-call is psis or psit, uttered loudly and con-

tinuously as the would-be murderer pursues his vicious chase,

the female of the latter meanwhile maintaining a beautifully soft

and melodious warble — how often are the sweetest notes of the

birds misunderstood ! When a nest is approached, a very similar

note is uttered, but rather tit, and in a very much lower tone,


* Could this have been a case of imitation ? It is strange that there should have

been two such instances during- the same summer. The Kings eventually deserted"

nest and built elsewhere.— R. P.



