J'a/tof -FincJics. 
351 
1 *J 1 1 was a- bad season with Mi-. Temple, only 7 young 
(if 111 is ^p.'cii's being- I'liliy reared. 
In ISIO!) our nienil er, the late Mrs. Helen Bromet, had 
good success with this species, nine young being full^' reared 
I'roni one pair. 
Our nienii)er, Mr. Ci . E. Rattigan has had fair success 
with this si)ecies, and his full notes may be read in 
February, 1913, page 45. 
'' One clutch of eggs took nineteen days to haUh oul . The young 
" wiTe distinctly marked with red some days before thry left the nest. 
" The young were reared on greenfood and s.'eding grass, together with 
'■ a few mealworms, though a oi'rtain amount of millet seed appeared to 
■■ forn/ part of their bill of fare.'" 
The nest site preferred appears to be a low one, ufiless 
the interference of other occupants of the aviary is too 
pronounced, when a highly placed and secluded box will be 
chcsen. When placed in a bush, the site is almost invariably 
a low one, and the nest is a domed structure of grass and hay 
of the' usual Grassfinch-type. 
The average incubation period is thirteen days, though 
in one instance, in Mr. Rattigan's aviary, nineteen days were 
taken to hatch out the eggs. 
As to the means to take to secure the best results,, 
opinijn varies considerably, but good results have been 
obtained under all the undermentioned conditions. 
A separate aviary giv<n up to this species. 
An aviarj' given up to this species with the addition of a single 
pair of some largish species. 
As forming part of a mixed crowd of Grassfinches . 
One or two pairs forming part of a mixed crowd of hard and 
soft-bills . 
Of course in the above it is premised that oveicrowd- 
ing is not indulged in to any serious extent. 
As to artificial nesting sites, a box appears to have 
been used in the majority of instances, but rush nests, husks, 
old straw hats (^nailed against the wall by the brim and a 
hole cut in the crown), sti-aw sheaths from bottles, etc., have 
have all been favoured. 
Diet: The following are the "bills of fare" provided 
by some who have been successful in breeding this species: 
I. Easily reared on Canary seed and millet, with liberal sup- 
plies of seeding and ilowi;ring grass, and cliickweed. 
