H. S. Sewell—Breeding the Painted Finch in Australia 17


It was not until our early spring that the first pair showed

•signs of nesting by taking possession of a small box which I had

partly filled with soft grasses. In this they constructed a domed

nest which they lined with flock and wadding, definitely discarding

feathers. Three white eggs were laid but unfortunately proved to

be unfertile.


The birds were apparently immature, as they were not nearly

in full colour when they first began nesting. An adult male bird

.carries on his chest a broad splash of dazzling scarlet on a black

background together with the usual white spot markings.


They soon laid again, however, and this time I was greeted with

; a little more encouragement, as later they were undoubtedly feeding

young; however, bad luck still persisted. One morning I found

two young birds, fourteen days old, thrown out of the nest, not

through intrusion on my part, but through inadequate feeding

which I later rectified. The third nest was duly completed this

time ; six eggs were laid, five being the usual number. This nest

was a little more open than the previous two, so I could observe the

•eggs without interference to the nest. Sixteen days from the last

•egg the young appeared; nineteen days later three young birds left

the nest; the next day three more made their appearance which

more than delighted me, and proved a grand tonic to my frayed

nerves. One young one, which had appeared weak, died, however,

but the remaining five are remarkably strong and doing well at the

time of writing.


The colouring of the young is as follows : Head, light brown ;

beak, black and very much shorter than that of an adult bird;

»eyes, black, where yellow in the adult; lower back, reddish brown ;

rump, scarlet; extremity of tail feathers, black, edged with red;

wings, light brown; throat, breast, and under parts, black, with

well defined white spots; beneath the throat and extending down

•each side of the body one or two of the young are carrying a few

spots of crimson on the breast, presumably these are male birds ;

the legs, pale biscuit shade.


These finches are not so particular as to their nesting sites as

.are Gouldians, who usually prefer a hollow log. I have one pair of


2



