Mrs . Wharton-Tigar—Breeding the Vinaceous Fire-finch 437


being that the shoulder feathers which are, especially in male birds,

almost pure white marked with black stripes in the adults, are mostly

brownish grey in the immature birds, whilst the black markings are not

so well defined. Even the glossy purple mirror in the wings is there,

although slightly duller.


Of the ten chicks only one died, so that one can say that they are

easy to rear.


On the last photo shown here two grey geese are visible with mottled

white heads. Those are young Emperor Geese moulting their grey first

plumage heads into the white heads of the adult birds.


They were reared by another foster-mother, but are great friends

with the Black-winged Geese.



BREEDING THE VINACEOUS FIRE-FINCH


By Mrs. Wharton-Tigar


In April last I bought a pair of Vinaceous Fire-finches ( Estrilda

vinacea), and had very little hope of their living, for the cock especially

was very fragile ; however, during the first glorious spell of weather,

I risked putting them in an aviary where they quickly recovered, and

in July, they were in glorious condition, so I placed them alone in an

open shelter. About the middle of August they seemed interested in

a large bundle of seeding grasses placed against the wire, close to the

door ; they were very secretive over it all, and I saw very little of

the nest-building, but supplied plenty of soft hay and feathers. Soon

afterwards I noticed one bird was always in the nest, unless any

strangers were about, and then both were to be seen in the aviary,

which is about 6x4 feet and is the open shelter run to one of

my small aviaries.


. On one occasion, after having several visitors, I thought they had

deserted, so put my finger in the nest and felt (I am almost sure) four

eggs. They were due to hatch, counting twelve days, about the 5th or

6th September, and so, a day or two before this, I commenced supplying

tiny maggots, four or five mealworms (cut in half) a day, and

insectivorous mixture (sponge cake dried, and eggs and flies, made

crumbly with grated carrot). I also got some fresh ants’ eggs from



