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P. W . Teague—Gouldians



admirable Australian Finches , gives a long and interesting account of

the Fire-tail. He considers it to a great extent insectivorous, but

Mr. H. E. Peir, who he quotes has bred numbers in aviaries while

feeding them upon canary-seed and an abundance of green-food and

grasses in seed only. His advice is to keep Fire-tails by themselves,

not with other birds of any kind, and to give them dense cover in

which to hide. Apparently several pairs may be kept in the same

aviary providing they have no other companions.


Mr. Cayley gives other instances of successful breeding in Australia,

and quotes the Curator of Beaumaris Zoological Gardens (Tasmania)

to the effect that Fire-tails have been bred in captivity in Tasmania

“ for the last sixty years at least, but who was the first person to do

so is now impossible to find out. They require a cage not less than

four feet by three, and will build their own nests among branches

placed therein, one pair to a cage and fed on plain canary-seed (hemp

is fatal).”


The great secret of keeping Fire-tail Finches seems to be to give

them abundant dense cover in which to hide.


D. S-S.



GOULDIANS


By P. W. Teague


First of all I would take this opportunity, with the Editor’s

permission, of expressing my thanks to the great number of enthusiasts

who have written me most appreciative letters about my previous

article on Gouldians. I had so many letters that I doubt if I answered

them all; however, it is most gratifying to me to know my article has

been the means of helping so many who had previously failed with

these delightful birds.


Last season was somewhat disappointing from a breeding point

of view with Gouldians, due chiefly to my being from home for nearly

six weeks in June and July. During this period I had to leave my birds

to the tender care of a village girl who, I think, did everything I asked



