Some Birds I have Kept. 
245 
The Gold-breasted Waxbill has successfully reared young 
in my aviaries, and also in some otiiers. 
The Cirey Waxbill has only seldom l)re(l in this country: 
on one occasion by our President, The Lady Dunleatli, and 
later by Air. W. A. Bainbridge. This species has been success- 
fully crossed with the St. Helena Waxbill. 
\'iolet-eared Waxbill has not, so far as I am aware, been 
bred in this country, though eggs have been laid on several 
occasions in various aviaries. 
The Cireen Avadavat has been successfully bred by Mr. 
W. K. Teschemaker and one or two others. 
The St. Helena Waxbill has been bred by myself, Capt. 
|. S. Reeve and others. It has been crossed with the (irey 
Waxbill (E. cuicrca). 
Waxbills, of all species, are not always easy to acclimat- 
ise, and losses are often fairly numerous among newly imported 
members of this family: but once they are safely over the hard- 
ships of importation and dealers' shops they are hardy and 
endi^ring; they may be safely wintered out of doors with one or 
two exceptions, but not in our more northern counties. I may 
add here that for a waxbill-aviary a roomy, well-lighted shelter 
i": a sine qua )iuii. in which they can be shut, and yet have room 
for plenty of exercise during abnormal weather-periods. 
Some of the species, especially the Orange-cheeked, show 
a decided preference for nesting on the ground, weaving a 
spherical nest in any convenient tuft of grass, and usually so 
cunningly concealed by overhanging blades of grass as to be 
only discovered by accident. The Orange-cheeks so nested in 
my aviary. 
Canary, Indian and white millet seeds form their main 
dietary: they eat greedily the seed and flowering heads of our 
native grasses, and it is a pretty sight indeed to see a waxbill 
perched on a tall panicle of grass, which sways and bends 
beneath its weight, busily engaged picking out the seed. In 
such a position the Golden-breasted in particular looks like 
some l)rilliant flower swaying in the breeze, and I have mistaken 
it for such on more than one occasion. As a rule these birds 
do not require live-food when rearing young, as they capture 
sufificient small flies, midges, and blight of various kinds in the 
aviary for their requirements. 
