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


Germany, but I did not notice that they eat them very much. I gave

hard yolk of egg and arrowroot biscuit ; and round the open water

vessel I had a growing crop of young grass and sprouting seeds. But

the birds seemed to be always hunting for tiny insects. In my small

garden I have a lot of the small black ants, and I think they ate these

and other small insects, caterpillars, and even quite big spiders.


On the advice of Dr. Hopkinson, in front of my small range of

aviaries I have a long, narrow corridor, with grass growing, and a

brick path. I got into the habit of opening the Fire-finches’ aviary

every morning in the sunshine, they quickly hopped out, hunting all

the time in the 40 ft. run for insects, of which they seemed to find

plenty. They were never out together until the youngsters were several

days old, and the first time they were so I of course thought all was

lost, so again I put a finger into the nest and quickly removed it for

I felt something fluffy and warm. After that, as no harm came of it,

while the parents were out I peeped in nearly every day until one

day my finger was met with a howl of protest, or was it hunger ?

After that I had to be content with looking, and generally could just

see a little head, or the blue beads at the side of the beak, shining

like little lights.


These little Fire-finches are charming, the cock especially is

delightful, has a sweet little song, and mine would come and take

mealworms out of the pot with my hand still on it. He also always met

me at the corner of the aviary in the morning, ready for breakfast !

He was not so shy about feeding the youngsters as the hen, who seldom

went in if any one was looking, but protested loudly if she wished to

visit the nest ; but if one retired further away she at once went in.

Both birds were keen bathers. Needless to say, I became every day

more pleased, not to say elated, at my possible success in being the

first in England to breed this species, but it could not have come at

a more difficult time, as I was about to make a visit to Brazil and

had a very great deal to see about.


I should say on the eighteenth day, a Sunday, I had a party of

friends with children, to visit the Zoo, and whether or not their presence

in the garden had anything to do with it the three baby Fire-finches

left the nest while they were there—one was much bigger and stronger



