216 Bearing of Hi/hn'd Greenfinch X SiMiim Siskin. 
fore all the more astonishing that being so tame they did not 
look better after their young. 
Later in the year (September) when I was away on 
my holiday, two Short-winged Weavers (H i/pha?ifornis hrachy- 
pterus) were successfully reared, but until I caught my birds 
up at the end of October I never noticed them. It is there- 
fore impossible to give any nesting details concerning them. 
Now (June 7th) they are just showing a little change, and one 
looks like developing a mask. I find some of the young birds 
take quite two years before they come into full colour. 
During the autumn of 1912 I purchased two Weavers 
about the size of the Black-headed, but of a greyish -green 
colour all over, and, the eye, unlike that of the Black-headed 
which is red, was quite light. After having them for nearly 
two years one is coming into colour and promises to be //. 
melanocephaJus. The eye is changing colour also, but I will 
refei" back to this later on. 
To be continued. 
♦ 
Rearing of Hybrid Greenfinch (Lignrinus chloris) 
X Sikhim Siskin (Chrysomitris tibetana). 
By Wm. Shore Baily. 
Early in May I noticed my hen Sikhim Siskin {Chryso- 
mitris tibetana) carrying nesting material. As I was unable 
to tind a mate of her own species, I turned in with her a 
cock English Greenfinch. Owing probably to the persecutions 
of some large Weavers {Hyphantornis ubi/ssinicwi and 
H. cucullatus) she elected to use a coco -nut husk for 
a breeding site. She lined this with a few feathers, 
and deposited therein three eggs of a pale blue 
colour, with a few black spots, principally at the 
larger end. These she incubated fourteen days. Three 
young were hatched, and these left the nest after eighteen 
days. Two fell victims to the V\^eavers, but the other is now 
a strong liird and capable of looking after itself. In colour 
it is grey, with streaky markings on the breast, as m our 
young Robin. The wings and tail alone show traces of its parent- 
age, the basal parts of both flight and tail feathers l^eing 
