Nesting of the BlacJc -headed 'Sislcin. 
9 
marked that, when a Serin normally lays unspotted eggs, there 
is frequently a spotted one in the clutch, and vice versa. 
Act III. 
The final act is a much brighter one in every way. 
Our hero, provided with a brand new partner, built 
a charming little nest last summer in a tall Cupressiis 
withm a few inches of the site already selected by a pair 
of So'.'in -finches. At first there was much squabbling ^ind 
some pilfering of nest-materials, but at length, like sensible 
people, they settled down and each reared a family. In the 
early days of June the young Siskins flew. They much re- 
sembled the adult female, but the yellow on the breast was 
confined to the central line and, even at a little distance, they 
could be recognised by the absence of grey on the sides 
of the neck and face. The wings were blackish, the prim- 
aries margined with yellow, and the greater and lesser coverts 
with yellowish -buff ; the beak light. The males began to 
sing at the age of six weeks but it was miore than two 
months before they beeran to show sexual distinctions in the 
nlumage by the appearance of one or two black feathers) 
on the crown and chin. The assumption of the adult plumage 
was a very slow and gradual process, and, even by l,st 
December the area of black on the head, though clearly de- 
fined, still showed some inter -mixed greenish feathers. 
The old pair brought off another brood in July and 
still another in September; then they passea from my Hand's 
into the care of a lady aviculturist, who is a genuine lover 
0^ birds. May they attain a green old age! (an eppropriate 
wish, I think, in view of the colour of the species). 
Breeding of the Orange-headed Ground Thrush, 
Cuban Colin, etc. 
By Hubert D. Astley, M.A., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 
ORANGE-HEADED GROUND THRUSH (GeorichJa 
cit)ina). This beautiful species has been known to aviculture 
for quite a long period, and for many years one or more speci- 
mens have been on view at the London Zoological Gardens, but 
hitherto it has not successfully reared its young in captivity. 
My birds have been in my aviaries for three years, 
