Breedln^r of the Rcd-collarcd Wliydafi. 
241 
all nests in my aviaries this year and it has been most suc- 
cessful). The hen sat very steadily and her tail became more 
and more at an angle from her body, so much so that it ciuite 
spoiled her appearance. However, she appeared to care very 
little for that, and on July i oth she was rewarded by the ap- 
pearance of two weird and naked little objects. 
So far I had been under the impression that I stood 
a chance of winning a medal for rearing Crimson-crowned 
Weavers, but now the Red-collared Whyclah began to assert 
himself, and it was pretty obvious that he was the joint 
owner of the nest and its occupants. He had always been 
practically the King of the aviary, and now none of his sub- 
jects had a moment's peace. He was almost continuously on 
the wing, and the Crimson-crowned Weavers had a particularly 
bad time — they hardly dared show their heads outside the 
thickest cover. He now spent his restful moments, what few 
he had of them, on a leafless branch of the laurel, close to 
the nest. From this coign of vantage he would make a swoop 
at some hapless occupant of the aviary, with his fine tail 
spread out like a Peacock's. It was marvellous the speed at 
which he would dart in and out of the bushes and shrubs; 
every moment one expected to sec him come into collision with 
some of the numerous obstacles in his path; but not he, his 
tail seemed to enable him to turn at right angles even when 
going at full speed. I never saw him actually hurt any bird, 
but there was no question as to his alarming them; and one 
can readily understand this, as the noise he made with his wings 
and tail was considerable. On one occasion when I was 
photographing the nest he made a swoop at me and quite 
startled me for the moment. All this time he made no attempt 
to feed the young ones, nor has he done so since they have 
left the nest — the entire rearing has been done by the hen. 
At first seed and minute insects^ taken on the ground, were 
used, but when the young were beginning to feather, I supplied 
mealworms. All food was swallowed by the hen and regurgi- 
tated. On July I 8th the young opened their eyes for the first 
time and were beginning to feather well. On the 23rd they 
were fully fledged and completely filled the nest, so I decided 
to try and get a photo of them before they left it. This nearly 
