A Christmas Present from, the Birds



71



Just like little children, so good and sweet, they seem to know it

is bed time, and all huddle themselves together for my wife to catch

them.


The nest was built of green grass and capok, and four bluish-white

eggs were laid. This was their third attempt. First they persisted in

building between the top of a glass window, which is let down every

evening, and the wire of the flight. With this continuous disturbance

each evening, they soon grew 44 fed-up ” and engaged a jam tin inside

the bird house. There they built a cosy cup-shaped nest with a scanty

dome to it, and sat for a few days. But for some unknown reason

they suddenly gave notice, and eventually built a hurried, rough and

ready cup-shaped nest, without a dome, in a jam tin farther along.

This sudden change of address still remains a mystery, for both tins

were exactly the same.


However, here they got down to serious business, and both cock

and hen took turns at sitting very closely, and were not easily dis¬

turbed. Incubation lasted approximately three weeks (I did not keep

dates) and four young were hatched.


One was found dead on the floor one morning, apparently having

been thrown out by the parents. The remaining three are all bonny

little fellows. In colour they are exactly the same as their mother,

with the same scaly effect on the breast, bronze-coloured wings, and

maroon tail. The usual staple seeds, canary, millet, manner, a little

teasel, niger, and rape were available, plus various green seeding grasses,

soft food, and live food. Immediately after hatching, the parents most

noticeably demanded live food. They met one at the door and hung

around until the termites and mealworms were placed on the feeding

table. Then they would gorge themselves on them, and immediately

fly to the nest and feed the young. My wife sometimes used to tease

them by walking right around the aviary with the dish of termites,

and it was most amusing to see how deliberately they chased after her.


My wife loves caring for these little things, and I don’t think I will

be wrong in saying that, of the number of species we have been fortunate

enough to breed, none have given her greater pleasure than Red-faced

Waxbills.



