f>ird Life '111 roil r;]i Ihc famcra. 
251 
Bird Life Through the Camera. 
By H. WiLLFOKD. 
( Ciiliti/iiii'il J'idiii piii/e 202 J. 
In this instalment of my " Bii'd Life tliro' the Camera " 
I am dealing with aviary birds and am able to give a few- 
breeding notes and photos of: — 
Passerine Doves, Painted Finch, Whitc-tlu'o.iled Fincli 
and Green Cardinal. 
Passeikinj-; Dovk (Champoelia passerinu). Tlie birds canii^ 
to me looking very knocked about after their voyag" from 
the West Indies, and for some time wei'e kejjt in a wiuni 
birdroom, l)ut, owing to their wildness did not improve mucli 
until they wei-e turned out of doors into a large aviary witii 
plenty of cover. 
Towards the end of June lOU'J, they showed signs of 
going to nest; the cock who was much more rufous on the 
neck than the hen, courted his mate in the typical manner, 
viz., by running a few steps and then bowing to his lady. 
After a few days of courtship both birds I)egan building, 
choosing an empty travelling cage, with the front out, which 
had l)een left, by accident, standing on a large llower-pot; the 
nest was constructed entirely of hay. 
On July 1st and 2nd the hen laid her clutch of two 
eggs, closely reseml)ling those of the Diamond Dove, excepting 
that they are a little larger and more oval; their colour Ijeing 
creamy-white. Both birds shared the duties of incubation and 
on July 15th two chicks were hatched out, being covered witli 
ochreish down; on 'the following morning 'they were 'thrown 
out of the nest, but the death of their young did not seem to 
trouble them at all, for on August 7th, Iwo more young were 
nafcfiea out ana agam were promptty thrown out o'f the nes't. 
After a short spell they took to a half coco -nut shell, 
which they \i:\ed with hay and on August 22nd and 23rd 
two more eggs were laid and duly hatched out on September 
4th. This time the young were assiduously fed (cliiclly on 
spray and white millet) until on the afternoon of Septeml)er 
ITili l)oth the young- left the nest. 
The nestling plumage was a dull l)rown, tliey did not 
attain the adult plumage for some time. 
It appears to me that these little doves would be very 
