426



Correspondence



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


HYBRID PARSON AND . MASKED FINCHES


During August, 1932, I purchased a pair of Masked Finches (Poephila

per sonata) from one of the leading Sydney dealers ; they were placed in

a cage 36 X 24 x 18 inches for acclimatization before turning out into the

Finch aviary.


The birds were in splendid condition on arrival, and being the first of this

species I had kept I spent hours watching them, trying to discover which was

the cock and which the hen. Very shortly they went to nest in the coconut¬

shell provided as sleeping quarters and, to my astonishment, the hen laid no

less than eleven eggs ; these unfortunately proved all clear. Shortly after¬

wards they went to nest again, this time the nest contained five eggs ; both

birds shared the duties of incubation, in fact, throughout, both were on the

nest together ; as these eggs also were clear and the weather was now warmer

I turned the Finches into the aviary, where they soon built a nest and sat for

some time. I am unable to say how many eggs were laid this time, but nothing

eventuated.


During March of this year, whilst cleaning out, I discovered a nest con¬

taining young in the grass, about 18 inches from the ground, soon satisfying

myself they were young Masked Finches. Shortly afterwards three young

Masked Finches were winging their way about the aviary. But stop ! there is

something “ different ” about them. Ah ! that’s it, the bib on each of the three

is slightly larger than on the parents. I remember the eleven eggs in one nest,

and that the eggs in both nests examined were clear, and also both birds sat

side by side—little things perhaps, but taken together, what ? Can it be

I have been trying to breed with two hens, and that the young are hybrids ?


Later I notice a cock Parson Finch (Poephila cincta) displaying before one

of the Masked Finches. This cock by the way is devoted to a hen Zebra

Finch, and they have had several nests with an occasional fertile egg, but

none hatched.


At four months the young birds are definitely proved to be fathered by

the Parson Finch, the bib being now much larger, about mid-way in size

between the Masked and the Parson, while the head is flushed with the grey

of the latter, the beak is a muddy chocolate hue, rather difficult to describe ;

it may, however, change colour later, but am doubtful.


By the way, have you noticed that the young Australian Finches have

black beaks, later changing to the normal hue of the parents. Has this been

noticed with Finches from other parts of the globe ?


C. B. Scott.


Whitton, N.S.W.



AN ESCAPED VULTURINE GUINEAFOWL


Two years ago a brood of young Yulturine Guineafowl was hatched here

very late in the summer. The weather was cold and damp and the young ones

died off very quickly, until only two remained. These seemed stronger, and

survived till they were about three weeks old when they both mysteriously

disappeared one night. They obviously had not died like the others, or we



