Mrs. K. Drake—Lives of Some Aviary-bred Birds



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but would not touch the best white Italian millet. I sometimes gave

bunches of flowering or seeding grass, and often a split-open grape.


The parents were always difficult to find owing to their habit of

hiding in the bushes, where they always appeared to find food of some

sort. When the young had left the nest a week all four were learning to

feed with their parents, who always appeared greatly alarmed for their

safety. At night they saw them safely inside the shelter, where the

young roosted on the top of a square box-type wood nest; then they

would leave them for the bushes outside, where they slept. On leaving

the nest the young appear in a brownish garb with a little red on tail

and showing reddish tinge on the breast; also white marks each side

of the beak. At first they were very wild and nervous, but after a week

tamed down. Now they are about two months old and looking very

spick and span, brighter in colour and with white spots (on two birds

spots showed on the 4th June (? cocks)). I bred Peter’s three to five

years ago. I cannot recollect the year and I have no note of it, beyond

sending a tiny specimen to our late Editor, Mr. D. Seth-Smith. Then

I had very bad luck, as the young I found scalped after leaving the

nest ; so, needless to say, this time I took the precaution of removing

every bird out of their division. I think I have said all except that I

am very pleased to have succeeded this time in the rearing of Peter’s

Spotted Firefinches.


I might mention that the parents have again gone to nest, but

unfortunately this time out in the open, a nest on the ground under a

rose-bush and primrose clump. It is impossible to give it extra covering

owing to the branches that criss-cross above.



LIVES OF SOME AVIARY-BRED BIRDS AT

MYLOR, CORNWALL


By Mrs. K. Drake


Date of Birth.


June, 1930. 1 Hybrid Goldbreast X Avadavat; killed April, 1935.


June or 4 Hybrid St. Helena X Orange Cheek ; 2 in second


July, 1931. and third year ; 2 alive.



