108 Birds I Have Ke;pt. 



Some Budgerigars have learned to repeat a few words, and 

 others to partially imitate the song of a Canary or Linnet; 

 though the latter are much more likely to acquire the warhling 

 of the Budgerigar, which is itself sufficiently pleasing, especially 

 when the bright, merry, green-coated little fellow is paying 

 his addresses to the "lady of his love." 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



THE ZEBEA, OE CHESMTJI-EAIIBD FUfCH. 



IFOEGET how many years since, but at one of the Crystal 

 Palace Bird Shows, I, in common, I doubt not, with 

 many other aviarists, was much struck with an exhibit by 

 Mr. A. Wiener, in one cage, of some thirty or more of these 

 little birds, the produce of two pairs in twelve months, and 

 immediately concluded to go and do likewise. 



Shortly afterwards I procured a pair, and turned them 

 into a small conservatory that had nothing in it but an old 

 and barren grape-vine. No sooner were they released from 

 the small travelling-cage in which I had brought them from 

 Covent Garden, than they darted up among the vine leaves, 

 where the little cook blew his tiny trumpet with unwonted 

 vigour. "Well, I have already related the history of this little 

 couple elsewhere, and must pass on to other matters, pre- 

 mising that since then I have had a good number of these 

 charming birds in my possession, and have found them to be 

 as hardy and docile as they are pretty. 



The male Zebra, or Chesnut-eared Finch, scientifically 

 Amadina castanotis, in French h diamant Zehre, or le diamant 

 cL moustache; in German der Zehrafinh, is, as may be gathered 

 from the above introductory remarks, an agreeable and ex- 

 tremely desirable inmate of the aviary. In length he measures 

 about four and a half inches, of which one and a half belong 



