K. Drake—The Breeding of Violet Tanagers 231


THE BREEDING OF VIOLET TANAGERS


(Euphonia violacea)


By Mrs. K. Drake


The Violet Tanagers are charming wee birdies whose habitat is

the region of Guiana, Lower Amazonia, and South-East Brazil. I have

always looked upon them as little delicate birds, but for two years

my pair have spent most of their days in an outdoor aviary and by

no means in a sheltered position, being brought into a cold greenhouse

for about four to four and a half months during the damp cold weather

of our Cornish winter.


The birds have always shown an interest in the nesting of the other

birds in the adjoining aviaries, and this spring I wondered whether

the nesting material was not quite to their liking, so ventured to make

an “ abode of love ” in their presence for them. They appeared to

take a lively interest in my handiwork ; I fixed it into a wire frame,

made a dome of hay, and camouflaged it, then hung it up 3 feet from

the ground in a rather lovely honeysuckle. • I then threw down hay,

horsehair, and dried leaves, but something was not quite to their liking

and they distinctly asked me for more—-hence I dubbed them Oliver

and Oliviera Twist. I then went off, feeling a bit hurt, in search

of bamboo leaves, those fine ones. I took up an armful and threw

them down in their flight, that caused quite a commotion, they were

on it like a bit of greased lightning ! I left them severely alone for a

few days but could not help noticing the nest was piling up, and only

a tiny opening left—however, “ All’s well that ends well.” I gave

them their usual food of fruit, a few meal-worms (which were rarely

taken), insectivorous food, and also milk sop, which they had daily

as they always seemed to me delicate. Eggs were soon laid ; but I never

interfered with the birds—she was sitting—as I missed her and there

I left it. About the 27th May the meal-worms disappeared and con¬

tinued to do so, so I decided that by the 1st or 2nd June the young

were certainly hatched.


About the 21st June, the parents made such a fuss if I went near

the honeysuckle that I decided my presence was extremely objection¬

able to them, so I kept away from that part as much as the small


17



