270 Brcedhig of tlic Or(()igr-c]ieeked Waxbill, etc. 
the summer except a pair of Cordon Bleus and two Orange- 
oheeks, which turned out to Ije a true pair. They passed 
the winter out of doors, and spring found them in fine fettle. 
Early in May I found they had bnilt in a small rush- 
nest, and looking in saw two eggs; after this they took no 
rncre notice of the nest or eggs, so I removed them. 
A few weeks later they began using the same nest, 
so I decided to leave them alone, and thought little more 
about them. On June 13th a friend from London (a Canary 
breeder) ' called to see me, and showhig him round I took 
down the nest to show him, then I found it contained some 
young birds, which were alive and had been fed; they were 
very small and could not have been more than two days old. 
I looked in the nest most days and found they were growing, 
also that they were being well fed. When they were about 
a week old I looked in the nest and found them all on their 
backs, and ail I could see was their breast bones and I should 
have thought them dead, but for their very palpable breathing. 
On July Ist [ found them out of the nest, but unable to 
fly; to-day (July 1), they can i\y well and are on the branches 
in the outside flight. 
The day before I discovered the young in the nest I 
noticed the parents catching insects and this was the first time I 
had observed tiiem doing so; thus it wouhl appear probable 
that the young were hatched on that day, viz., June 12. The 
ycung were reared on seed and greenfood (except such insects 
as their parents caught in the aviary). I did not supply any 
soft food. 
In colour they resemble theii' parents, but lack tin' 
orange j^atch on their cheeks and have black beaks. They 
are continually jerking their tails in true Waxbill-fashion. 
Diamond Spakeows (Steganopleura guttata). I am 
also delighted to have young of ^bis species fending for tliem- 
selves, and the old birds are incubating another clutch of foui- 
eggs. 
Zebra Finches {Taeniopygia casfunofid). These are 
busily engaged in feeding young in the nest. 
GouLDiAN Finches (Poephila gouldiac): Like the ma- 
jority of aviculturists I cannot get on with these. My present 
pail' I have had for about eighteen months (last year they 
