48 C. N. Abrahams—Experiences and Incidents in South Africa


Waxbills. —African Waxbills (Estrilda) from St. Helena, Senegal,

East Africa, Mauritius, the Cape, and South America, and each species

is different. Rhodesian Ruddy Waxbill, Rlue-breasted Waxbill, Cordon

Bleu, Redfaced Waxbill, Dufresne Waxbill, Jamieson Ruddy Waxbill,

East African and Rhodesian forms. Peter’s Spotted Waxbill, Hartlaub’s

Green Twin Spotted Waxbill, Rosy Twin Spotted Waxbill, Brown

Twin Spotted Waxbill, Black-cheeked Waxbill, Orange-breasted

Waxbill, Tangarine Waxbill, Violet-eared Waxbill, Orange-cheeked

Waxbill, Sydney Waxbill, etc.


Buntings. —Golden-breasted Bunting, Rock Bunting, Cape Bunting,

Indigo Bunting, Rainbow Bunting, Nonpareil, Versicolour Bunting,

Snow Bunting, Cirl Bunting, Yellow Hammer Bunting, etc.


Miscellaneous. —Levailliant’s Barbets, African Grey Parrot, Indian

Quail, Chinese Blue-fronted Quail, Pekin Robins, Schalow’s Lories,

Pink-crested Lory, Red Face Lovebirds, Malachite Sunbirds and

Double-collared Sunbirds, Redcrested Cardinals, Pope Cardinal,

Green Cardinals, Military Troupials, Crossbill, etc., also a collection of

Brazilian Flycatchers and Robins and Cardinallileas de La Siera. The

latter are dear little chaps and perfect little Cardinals in miniature.

Dark grey back and wings, black tail, and black crest beautifully

curved forward, white throat and face with black stripe above eye.

Under parts light grey. Length about 4J inches.


The aviaries are not large and out of reach, but necessarily of a

controllable size, averaging approximately 24 by 8 by 6 ft., with

closed houses and open flights.


Though living in sunny South Africa, we have our advantages

and disadvantages the same as everybody else. Residing in a spot on

the Cape Peninsula, where we have four to five months almost con¬

tinuous rain, with snow on the surrounding mountains, frost on the

ground, and varying bitterly cold winds in winter, one has to provide

warmth and dryness for the tropical and sub-tropical species.


Hence, aviary construction has to be carefully thought out. Then,

what with mice, snakes, prowling cats, mosquitoes, the Argentine ant,

and the fierce heat of summer to contend with, to say nothing about

bird ailments, it keeps one quite busy thinking out how to control

all these gentlemen, and keep the birds comfortable and happy. The



