Breeding of (lie Lesser Saffron I'incli. 
3.".1 
foundation the young hatched some days lat-T were ;hii)\vii 
oui . 
June 30. — The nest had been mendcJ and eoiuainerl 
one egg. more were added. 
July 12.— Hen sitting on four eggs, one of which may 
have been the original. an<l probably addled, egg. 
The appearances f)f the birds cau-e:! me to coiicl'ide 
thai til ' male incubates during the day and the hen for the 
other i)eriod. 
July 22. — 'J'hree chicks made their appea'ance: dark 
brown covered with down of the same colour — gape bright 
orange. 
July 30. — Heii parent picked up dead, and in my dis- 
may 1 was near to taking the young to hand-ixar, but fortuna'.ely 
decided to try what the cock bird would do alone — he proved 
an excellent parent and fully reared two young birds; the 
third disappeared. He was wanting in one re.spe-:t, however; 
he did not brood the young at all. 
August 2. — Two young birds left the nest, being e'even 
days old — agam there had nearly been a d'saster, for the nest, 
which 1 had lately propped up, I found hanging in an almost 
inverted position. The joung birds appeared very vigorous, 
one being cjuite strong on the wing. For the first night I 
put theni in a deep box in the shelter, in whfch the male 
could feed them, but out of which they were no:; then strong 
enough to Hy — here the night, which was wet and stormy, was 
speii* m safety, and the following nrorning they were allowed 
to take their chance, and ail went well. 
Description of young at fourteen days: Back, head and 
flights dark brown, with slight suggestion of olive, and dark 
buff tips to feathers of mantle and tertiaries. Throat and che:,t 
yellowish-white with dark vertical s.rvakings; abJo.nea bright 
yellow; iricles and beak dark brown; f:et flesh-coloar . 
As regards the food the young were reared upon, I can 
only say that while the male never touched mealworms at other 
times, he was quite eager for them while feeding his youag; 
at the same time live ants' '"eggs" and "soft food" were 
absolutely ignored. I believe he also took hemp and maw- 
seed, and green wheat in the ear, besides the ordinary stock 
mille^ and canary seed. 
