54 E. J. Boosey and Alec Brookshank—Breeding Results


year, thereby considerably diminishing our prospects of a successful

season. Two other pairs refused to sit, but their eggs were transferred

to Bengalese, another pair had infertile eggs, another pair two success¬

ful nests, and another pair one successful nest of three, the hen dying

when the young were about to fledge, but the brood was reared by the

cock alone.


Cherry Finches share with the Ruficaudas the doubtful distinction

of doing worse than anything else, and although a very small number

were reared, we regret to say our breeding stocks are now sadly depleted.


We greatly increased the numbers of pairs of Bengalese , at the

beginning of the year, but here again the hot weather seems to have

affected them adversely, a large number of the eggs being addled.

Diamond Doves, after a false start, finished up with a fair number of

young.


Four pairs of Red-headed Parrot Finches were very kindly brought

over for us by a friend who had paid a personal visit to the remote

island of New Caledonia, and the birds arrived here about the end of June.

They were all very healthy, but naturally in importation plumage, and

only one pair seemed at all unlikely to start an immediate moult. These

were given a fair-sized outdoor aviary to themselves, and we were

surprised and delighted when they promptly went to nest, laying, how¬

ever, first of all a clutch of infertile eggs. After these were removed

the hen at once laid again and this time successfully hatched and reared

four young ones, which duly left the nest about 19th September. The

brood was reared largely on live food, although the parents were also

very keen on millet spray and green food, particularly bunches of

flowering rye grass, which at that time was, of course, very difficult

to find in any quantity.


Incidentally, having read that Parrot Finches were particularly

addicted to a straw hat for their nesting site, we purchased a “ boater ”

for them which was duly nailed to the wall, a hole being made towards

the top of the crown. This, however, they ignored, nesting instead

in an ordinary Budgerigar box.


The young ones were rather sombre little green birds when they

left the nest with straw-coloured lower mandible and a black upper

one, and a faint trace of red on the tail and forehead. They are gradually



