86 
frceJij Imported Species. 
inches long and five inches high and wide, with a hole in 
the front. Grass and hay, and in fact any bits of rubbish, 
duch as string, papc)', and niillct s])ray stalks, wci'c i-ari'icd in 
until the box was nearly full. Then five small white eggs 
were laid. These were duly incubated, unstil a most irritating 
accident occurred. Among the inhabitants of the aviary 
was a Nuthatch. This was a very amusing bird, always on 
the move, running and climbing about like a little blue 
mouse. However, one day I went into the aviary and no 
Nuthatch was to be seen. I searched high and low and began 
to think there was some little hole from which he had escapeti. 
All at once I heard a scraping- in the Silverbill's nest -box, 
and found there the missing bird, sitting among the egg 
shells. He no doubt had been trying to hatch them, but I 
took care he didn't have another chance. 
The Silverbills were soon at work again, and before 
a week had elapsed, they commenced laying another clutch. This 
time all went well and in about six weeks time I had the 
pleasure of seeing four little Silverbills leave the nest, look- 
ing the image of their parents— perhaps a trifle lighter in 
colour. When they hatched (after twelve days' incubation), 
they looked most disgusting. Most birds at that stage look 
rather uninviting, but, these were more like slimy reptiles 
than birds. They were fed most assiduously by their parents, 
almost entirely on millet seed. I never once saw them during 
that period touch green-stuff of any description, and insectile 
food they never partook of at any period. For a fortnight 
at least the young Silverbills were fed by their parents; 
it was most amusing, also, to note how they were " put to 
bed" every evening about five o'clock, and how anxiously the 
parent Silverbills fluttered about, when one evening their 
children insisted on spending the night on a perch instead 
of in the nest Dox. After a short time, the Silverbills 
" began again." Five eggs were laid, and then occurred an 
incident which was the prelude to a series of annoying 
occurrences. One day, while in the aviary I accidentally 
knocked over the nest -box and of course broke all the eggs. 
Most unwisely, I threw the egg-shells on the floor and left 
them there. In a few days the Silverbills plucikly com- 
menced yet again. Two eggs were laid, and then disappeared. 
About this time other birds' eggs disappeared in the same 
