328



F. E. Matthews—Breeding Notes



stem, dipped in honey and fixed somewhere, is a joy to them. If you

ask the cock to sing he tries to start, and is especially good when the

sun comes oufc. His song is like that of the Reed Bunting ; some notes

are comparable to those of the Lark when receding from sight. The

hen can sing a bit, too, on occasion.


Having acquired a cock Pintail Nonpareil without a mate, I placed

with him a good Blue-faced Parrot Pinch. She has laid a good many

eggs, some in a nestbox, but does not suggest brooding them—probably

she deems it might be waste of time ! Both birds are fit, and they are

also excellent feeders.


A pair of Ruficaudas promised well, the hen choosing a nest,

though apparently she never produced any eggs. She was found dead

after some weeks when the nest was examined.


A pair of Emblema Picta have been outdoors all the summer.

They have just come out of a moult; possibly owing to this no progress

has been made in house hunting.


A steady pair of Longtail Grassfinches have nested several times,

hatching every egg. They are feeding a family of five at the moment

still in their nestbox.


My Gouldians were late in going to nest—even the well-seasoned

pairs. Two pairs imported this year have now got over the inevitable

moult. They are in fine health and starting nests. A seasoned pair are

jealously nursing a good many eggs in one of the cone-shaped rush

nests. The results are yet unknown.


I attribute success with these birds to careful feeding of the right

kind, and plenty of seeding grass.


I have followed the advice in all respects given in Practical Hints

on the Keeping and Breeding of Gouldian Finches, by P. W. Teague.

I believe it is due to this that the colour of the seasoned birds is so

vivid, more so than that of the new arrivals. These red heads are truly

red, whereas the red head cock of the former might be called a “ Crimson

head ” ; this colour is so much richer, and the other colours purer.

I should like to hear if others have found this to be so ? In an outdoor

aviary, not well placed, Bengalese have flourished. By them the

soaked seed is greatly appreciated ; it has produced strong young

birds. This is noticeable with some pure whites, who fledged rapidly

and are good on the wing.



