98 How to Sex Cage Birds. 



GoLDEX-WINGED WOODPECKER (Colaptes auratns). 



The female is smaller than the male ; her bill is shorter and more 

 slender, and she has no black moustaehial streak from the bill across 

 the cheek. 



Colies (Coliidce). 



These interesting long-tailed birds are not very freely imported ; 

 but as it is to be hoped that the rapid increase in the numbers of 

 aviculturists in this country will induce dealers to import these and 

 many others of the smaller aviary birds more freely, I think it will 

 be useful to point out the differences by which the sexes may be 

 distinguished. 



Chestnut-backed Coly (Colius castanonotus). 



In the Museum series I could find no male sex-marks on any of 

 the specimens, but one example sexed as a female was conspicuously 

 larger than all the others, had a much longer tail, and a more 

 curved upper mandible. 



Red cheeked Coly (Colius erythromelon). 

 The female is smaller than the male, and has a smaller beak. In 

 colouring it only differs in being slightly paler. 



Black-necked Coly {Colius nigricollis). 

 I found only one female bearing the sex-mark, but the differences 

 are probably similar to those in the following species. 



Striated Coly (Colius striates). 



The female has a longer and broader beak than the male. The 

 upper mandible is also more curved, as in C. castanonotus. The 

 crown of the head is paler, rather more ashy. 



Cape Coly (Colius capensis). 



The female is larger than the male ; her beak is longer and more 

 tapering. It will be seen from the foregoing that the sexes of the 

 Colies differ very little in plumage, so that the size and the form of 

 the beak are of considerable importance. 



Kingfishers (Alcedinidc). 



Although the European Kingfisher is not the most satisfactory 

 bird to keep in a cage or small aviary, it has been successfully kept 

 by various aviculturists. In an extensive aviary enclosing water 

 well stocked with small fish it should be possible to breed it. The 

 foreign Kingfishers, however, are more easily kept in captivity 



European Kingfisher (Alcedo ispida). 



The female is slightly smaller than the male, and has a more 

 slender bill, the under surface of which is largely coloured red 

 instead of black. 



