H. S. Sewell—Breeding Results in South Australia 333


Africa, is another variety which has done well for me this year,

having bred eight young to date and the parents still nesting. These

also have very little to recommend them as to colour and of course

no song. Their courting dance is most peculiar; with his elongated

neck, the cock bird vibrates his beak in such a manner which puts

me in mind of a snake darting his tongue (readers many think my

imagination a trifle vivid). A Fringilloides lay four white eggs. The

oldest of my young birds is nearly twelve months. I consider them

reasonably prolific and extremely hardy.


The White-headed Mannikin ( Munia maja). This common but

attractive little bird is so well known that description is unnecessary.

Incidentally I consider this species one of the hardest to breed ;

considering the thousands that are sold, very few indeed are bred. I

was fortunate in inducing a pair I had to breed, after having them

eighteen months or so. I believe the greatest difficulty in breeding

Munia maja is on account of their extreme timidity ; I only succeeded

in raising one young.


The Painted Finch ( Emblema Picta) I had wonderful results

until the late summer, having bred thirty birds of this extremely

rare species. The majority having moulted out into full colour, when

some of the younger ones started dying. At first I thought it was due

to moulting, but unfortunately awakened to the true facts too

late, when full coloured birds started dying at an alarming rate. After

isolating the birds and doing everything possible in the way of tonics

and keeping the birds in a hospital cage at 80 degrees (incidentally not

saving a single sick one) I finished up by losing approximately twenty

birds. I understand the disease was enteritis ; however, these things

are sent to try us, and I hope to gain by that experience this year. I

have one marvellous pair that have been breeding continuously since

last September, excepting for about two or three weeks, when they

went into a short moult. It will be twelve months in a week or two since

they started. This is no doubt an outstanding performance. (For

breeding description of this species see Avicultural Magazine,

January issue.)


Dufresne’s Waxbill ( Coccopygia Dufresnii). I succeeded in raising

four youngsters of this beautiful little bird some months back and by



