274 Elsie Robinson—Attempts to Breed Violet-eared Waxbills


From this nest three young were hatched and were deserted by the

parents—no attempts, so far as I know, being made at feeding. After

what seemed a very short interval, another nest was built in a box

in the same cage. To have every chance of success I determined to curb

my anxious interest, and not run any risk of disturbing them, not

even daring to peep into the nest, much as I desired to do so. About

the sixteenth day I noticed the cock eating an extra amount of ants’

eggs, and came to the conclusion that the nest contained young. He

confined his diet to ants’ eggs the first four days (which were those of the

large pine wood ant, and were supplied to him absolutely fresh). After

the four days their feeding consisted of millet well soaked ; this went

on to about the tenth day, when I discovered one morning a well-

developed bird (the only one) thrown out on the floor of the cage.


I subsequently found another egg, still in the nest, showing traces

of slight germination, and I imagine this had got chilled. I am

at a loss to account for the misfortune with the young bird unless,

indeed, with these breeding-shy birds, I made an error, previous to

going out for the day, in taking the gardener into the bird-room to

give him some instructions during my absence. He had not previously

been in the room, and it was soon afterwards that I discovered the

tragedy.


My success in getting so far was due, in my opinion, to the fact that

I confined the pair when nest-building to the caged section of the

bird-room, and denied them the liberty of the flight, thereby giving

them little opportunity of dividing their attentions from the object

in view and leaving them entirely to themselves. Although mine are

a very tame pair of birds, I imagine that birds of this species are very

jealous of their nest and resent even a glance at it. The other important

point, I think, is to see that the ants’ eggs are given to the birds

absolutely fresh.


My St. Helena’s have done well this season. The pair that reared

a nest of seven last season have reared another nest of six, which were

fed by the hen, the cock unfortunately dying during the rearing stage.

From another pair I have reared two young and they have now a nest

of six eggs.


The Bronze-wing/St. Helena Hybrids, bred last season, still resemble



