332 H. S. Sewell—Breeding Results in South Australia


SUMMARY OF BREEDING RESULTS IN

SOUTH AUSTRALIA


By H. S. Sewell


Having read with pleasure some very interesting breeding summaries

in this Magazine, by two or three enthusiastic English fanciers on

Foreign Finches and Waxbills, I am induced to record some of my

successes for the breeding season ending 30th June last.


I first opened up my account by breeding the common African

Fire Finch [Lagonostica Senegala) ; although quite common, I know

many birds easier to breed. These tiny Finches had the nasty habit

(at least the cock bird had) of gathering up his offspring one by one,

usually when a few days old, and placing them at the far end of the

aviary in a heap, where if not seen in time, the ants would quickly

kill them. I believe this procedure is adopted by most Finches and

Waxbills from time to time ; incorrect feeding or interference with

their nests is, no doubt, usually the trouble. However, I finally

reared two birds which turned out to be hens ; these are now about

15 months old.


The next species I concentrated on was the Scaly Crowned Weaver

(Sporopipes sqamifrons), habitat Africa, sometimes called Moustache

Finch. To-day this bird is more of a rarity, as are most of the South

African Finches. The markings on the head are black and grey,

resembling scales. It also has a black throat marking, not unlike a

drooping moustache, hence this bird’s two names. I do not know

if this bird has been bred in England ; I should imagine so, as I have

found them most prolific. In each case they nested in logs, their eggs

are pale green, heavily speckled with brown. The most remarkable

nest I had from this species was of six eggs and six youngsters raised.

Altogether I reared fourteen young and eventually disposed of the

entire family as I wanted room for new species. They have very little

to recommend them as to colour, although uncommonly marked.

They are very active birds, extremely noisy—incidentally quarrel¬

some.


The Giant Magpie Mannikin (Amauresthes fringilloides ), habitat



