304 Prebendary J. E. Sweetnam—Notes from a Somerset Aviary


I believe that this beautiful species is absent from the records of

birds bred in captivity rather owing to the difficulty of getting them

into proper breeding condition than to lack of prolificacy. If, as

Dr. Macklin has now proved, those wildest of the wild, the Eoyals, can be

bred without any great difficulty (except the rather vital one of securing

true pairs) it is strange if the particularly steady and sociable Pintail

should be as difficult to breed as is generally supposed.


I had better use such space as the Editor may consider this article

is entitled to in adding some notes on the breeding of some of the other

species catalogued above.


Parson Finches. —After a mysterious disappearance from aviculture

of a quarter of a century, a few pairs of this hardy and very prolific

bird have recently been imported. Though only obtained in the autumn,

my pair went to nest at once and, in an outside aviary at that, reared

one youngster, which left the nest on Christmas Day. As was only to

be expected under the circumstances, this was rather a weakling and did

not survive for long. The pair went to nest at once on being put together

this spring, and have gone on breeding and rearing almost incessantly

all the season. They are amongst the easiest birds to breed as, except

for a few mealworms, they ask for nothing beyond millet and canary

with seeding grasses, though, in common with most species, they greatly

appreciate live ant’s cocoons.


In comparison with other grass finches they have the considerable

advantage of being easily sexed by the wider bib and the darker grey

of head and russet brown breast of the cock ; but an even greater

disadvantage of pugnacity and aggressiveness—so much so that it is

impossible to include a cock with any other small birds, all of which he

attacks with deliberate intent to injure.


On leaving the nest the young are very wild and liable to dash their

heads against window or netting. Having lost one from my first brood

in this way, I avoided further casualties by covering the windows with

tightly stretched butter muslin—a wise precaution also in the case of

young Diamond Sparrows. I did not find the parents at all liable to

attack their young, even when left with them after the next brood was

ready to fly.


I find the eggs of both Parson Finches and Diamond Sparrows can



