J. E. Sweetnam—Breeding the Painted Finch



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Edward’s, but the female instead of being black like the other crestless

species is a mottled brown like the females of the crested species.


The large Eirebacks are very fine pheasants indeed, especially the

Yieillot’s. There are various sub-species of the Crested Firebacks which

are rather confusing to the amateur. The Crestless species, of which

there are three, are small fowl-like birds in which the hens are black

except in Salvadori’s. These birds are not well known to pheasant

keepers in this country ; for one thing they do not stand our winters

well and need to be closed up at night.


The crestless species are terrible fighters and even hens will kill

each other in a very short time if confined together.


All Firebacks are inhabitants of hot steamy tropical forests, so it is

little wonder that they are not as hardy as other Pheasants.


{To be continued.)



BREEDING THE PAINTED FINCH


(Emblema picta)


By Prebendary J. E. Sweetnam, F.B.S.A.


There appear to be three previous records of the breeding of this

beautiful little bird in the British Isles. Mr. H. Willford was the first

to succeed in 1910, and the same pair bred with Mr. Mathias the

following year. Another pair reared one young bird almost to maturity

with Mr. B. Phillipps in 1911, and a long account of this breeding,

together with a dissertation on the species, is contained in the Magazine

of that year.


The only other record is that of our member, Mr. A. J. Patterson,

in 1935, who succeeded in rearing one young bird to maturity.


The impression left on one’s mind by reading these, and such other

accounts of the breeding of Emblema picta as are available, is that it is

(or was) not only a very rare, but a difficult species, to breed.


As my experience with them goes to show just the opposite and,

incidentally, to contradict many of the statements contained in such

meagre records as exist, our Editor may perhaps feel justified in

allowing me some space in this number to record my experience in

rearing seven young to maturity during June of this year.



