368 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



study of their variable markings and a consideration of their feeble repro- 

 ductive powers, I am strongly inclined to support. How long ago Ben- 

 galees were first produced it is impossible to say, for the Japs certainly kept 

 and reared birds long before aviculture was thought of in Europe ; but it is 

 certain that, from the first development of this pseudo-species, small cages 

 only were used in which to breed them. A year or two ago, finding that a 

 large consignment of these birds had arrived in London, I purchased some 

 of each of the three varieties, and kept them in three separate flight-cages, 

 supplying them with Hartz Canary cages hung high up, in which to build. 

 From the "purebred" Bengalees I reared only two or three young in as 

 many years, but from Bengalee and Striated Finch I reared five in one 

 season, all of which are still living. This year, finding that none of my 

 Bengalees were doing any good, I turned out the whole of them into one 

 of my largest aviaries. Here they at first took possession of Hartz Canary 

 cages as before, and began to build in the usual slovenly fashion ; they were, 

 however, constantly disturbed by other small finches desirous of occupying 

 the same receptacles. One day in July I collected a large handful of 

 flowering grasses — a very favourite food with all small finches — and flung 

 it into the aviary, where it was immediately covered by a crowd of little 

 birds. The Bengalees, however, as if recognizing this as the natural 

 building material of their ancestors, flew off with it stem by stem to a 

 small bush, where they constructed a neatly domed typical Mannikin's 

 nest, with the usual circular opening in front. In this nest one egg was 

 deposited, and then some other birds began to pull the domed portion to 

 pieces for their own use; nevertheless these little Mannikins persevered, 

 repairing the nest whenever fresh grasses were supplied to them. Now I 

 think all candid readers must admit that when birds which were reared in 

 a small cage within a cage, and whose ancestors were so reared for hundreds 

 (perhaps thousands) of years, can at any given moment exactly reproduce 

 the typical nest of their remote wild ancestors without any model whatever 

 to guide them, it is absolutely certain that the laws regulating their method 

 of building are inherent in their natures, and not acquired. The avi- 

 culturist has proofs before him almost every day that birds do not build by 

 imitation, for wild^caught birds, unless turned out into enormous garden 

 aviaries, generally depart at once from their usual habits, building in boxes 

 and cages in preference to bushes and twigs. On the other hand, Canaries 

 and Bengalees, having for centuries been bred in cages, are stimulated by 

 the comparative freedom of a large aviary, and the rebound causes them to 

 reproduce the homes of their wild ancestors. At any rate, I see no other 

 reason why they should ever return to their natural method. — A. G. 

 Butleh (124, Beckenham Road, Beckeuham, Kent). 



