Breeding Result. s at Park Lodge Aviaries. 
177 
bills, viz.: Cordon Blkus {Estrilda phoenicotis) . Its Eui^lisli 
name, Crimson- Oil I'od Finch or Waxluil, is seldom used, its 
French cognomen beinif in general use. 
I can never understand the difficulty in discriminating 
hc'.wccn this ,species and the Blue-bicasted AA'axliill. The latter 
is a larger and nnich bluer liird and the bi'own colour is Mho 
quite ditTerent. 1 am told there is a difference in the beak, but 
I have not ol)servcd it. The two species have been crossed 
and bied from. Personally I sliould prefer the magenta nrark 
on the cheek of the male to be removed, as the colours do not 
harmonize. 
If only the Cordon Bleu were as hardy as an Avadavat 
what a joy it would be ! But unfortunately they are most dif- 
ficult to acclimatize. With regard to this word, " acclimatise," 
I have not much faith in it. P'rom somewhat exhaustive 
experience— exliaustive as regard numbers at any rate— I have 
come to the (conclusion that once over the first three weeks 
of theii- new surroundings the mortality amongst acclimatised 
and unaccliniatised birds is nearly equal. In fact, during this 
last winter in some very heavy losses I ©xijerienced, tlie great- 
est were in aviary -bred birds. Many birds cannot stand a 
change of locality; nay more, a change of aviary in the .same 
grounds will often result in the loss of a bird. A few days in 
a cage in the new quarters may save a birds life. There 
are many reasons why it should, but the scope of this article 
" breeding results" not a Caudle lecture on birds: so I must de- 
sist. It is an incorrigible habit to get so interested in your 
subject that you find you are going off hopelessly at a tangent, 
and before you kno^v where you are, find yourself writing about 
War Loans or something equally foreign to the subject in hand. 
And yet in breeding these birds the question of getting them to 
settle down is important, and, as 'I have been very success- 
ful in breeding this species I may perhaps be pardoned for 
writing at some length. To read that Mr. So and So has bred 
the Flat-headed-talking-three-toed Curassow 'is, of course, most 
important, but the reader may argue: "I can't afford that kind 
of bird, tell me something about (jordon Bleus." This is my 
apology (quite unnecessary. — Ed.), a poor one, I admit, but I 
am despai'ately keen on rny little Cordons, and I do not intend 
that they shall be dismissed as if they were white mice. 
