THE



Avicultural Magazine


THE JOURNAL OF THE

AVICULTURAL SOCIETY



Fourth Series. —Vol. X.—No. 12 .—All rights reserved. DECEMBER, 1932.



BICHENO AND RINGED FINCHES (STIZOPTERA

BICHENOVI AND S. B. ANNULOSA)


These lovely little Grass Finches, which seem to increase in beauty

the closer one views them, are denizens of the warmer parts of Australia,

the White-rumped form, S. bichenovi, occurring in the north-eastern

and the Black-jumped, S. b. annulosa , in the north-western portions

of that continent ; and it is curious that these two races differ in

precisely the same way as do the two races of the Parson Finch figured

in our last number. The two forms have been imported from time

to time, but they have to be regarded as frail mites which need careful

protection from the inhospitable climate of this country.


In the wild state Bichenos occur in pairs or flocks, feeding upon

the seeds of grasses. The nest is a bottle-shaped structure, composed

of grass and lined with feathers or vegetable down and is placed in

a low bush or in long grass.


In captivity both species have bred in this country though only

on a few occasions. An interesting account of the breeding of the

Ringed Finch by Mrs. Howard Williams was published in this Magazine

in September, 1902, and as a good many of our members do not possess

the early volumes I may be permitted to quote freely from this. A

pair of these birds, obtained in January, were placed in an aviary

containing Gouldians, Long-tailed Grass Finches, Double-banded,

Zebra Waxbills, Canaries, and Avadavats, the aviary itself being in



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