Breeding the Sharp-tailed Finch. 
years, and judginjg' by my own experience, quite easy to breed, 
it is extremely probable that success has been attained before. 
It is jnost difficult to distinguish the sexes in this species 
as there fs no appreciable difference in the plumage or size 
of the male and female. In selecting my pair from a number 
of caged specilnens, I assumed that the beak and skull of 
the male would be broader and heavier than that of the female. 
1 placed a small celluloid ring on the right font of the bird 
I decided woufd be the male and a similar one on the left 
foot of the female. It was by the merest chance that I se- 
lected a true pair, for when turnc-d out into the aviary; it 
was the bird with the ring on the left foot that commenced 
to sing and dance to his mate. 
In 1913 the Sharp-tails occupied a rather crowded 
division of the aviary. Here they were much disturbed by the 
other birds; a nest was partially built, but soon abandoned, 
and no other attempt was made that year. 
After remaining out of doors for the winter, they were 
transferred to a less crovvded compartment, where the first 
nest was built i n a dead holly branch, fi.xed to the side of 
the shelter; a full clutch of eggs was laid, but soon after 
incubation commenced, I found them scattered about the floor, 
broken. 
Their second attempt was more successful, a new nest 
was built in the same branch.,, and quite close to the old one. 
Incubation commenced sometime during the second week in 
May, and on the 3 i st of that month I found that there were 
newly hatched young in the nest. 
Two young birds left the nest on June 1 8th, and 
were successfully reared. 
The same nest was repaired, and used for the third 
and fourth clutches. No young were reared from the third, 
and onl)- one from the fourth. This young bird was on the 
wing on Nov. 8th,. and was fully reared. 
Both sexes take their share in the duties of incubation 
and the feeding of the brood, and very often both are in the 
nest together. 
Perhaps the Sharp-tail is not so nervous a sitter as 
some of the Mannikins, but it is easily alarmed, and inter- 
ference with the nest would probably mean desertion, I how- 
