The Cordon Bien. 135
little Weaver-birds and tliat the song of the male consists of a little pleasant whispered
melod}-'.* Whether he calls this bird (like its cousin Granatina granatina) a " Granat
Astrild," is not clear ; but a note at the foot of the page proves that he is well aware
of the entire distinctness of the two species. He further informs us that " Dr.
Hartmann saw large flights of Urccginthus phmnicotis in the primeval forests of the
ripper Blue Nile."
Dr. Russ calls this the " But ter% Finch" and writes of it as follows:—"A
colouring peculiarly its own and a peaceable but at the same time intelligent disposition,
distinguish this Ornamental Finch from others."
" It is one of the birds with which, more than a hundred j^ears ago, attempts at
breeding had been made; it had already been bred by Vieillot and others ; but no
detailed observations published. With us, it was first reared, accurately observed and
described by Hermann Leiichfeld of Nordhaiisen. The pair after several breeding
failures, brought up two and then seven young ones. Then it was also bred in my—,
and later in many other Bird-rooms. The};- almost alwa3?s build openly in a bush and
generall}^ high iip near the ceiling. The male brings building material, the female
constructs the nest, of hay-stems, threads of bast, strips of paper, lined with horsehair
and cotton thread, feathers and soft strips of paper. A round, flattish bag, with side
entrance concealed bj' overhanging stalks, externall}' disorderly, internally careful!}'
rounded and artistically disposed. Ahst built in seven to nine days, but even when
they have commenced incubation, they carry up to it stalks, feathers, etc. Down bluegrey
; the little beak-warts blue-white. Young phiniage like that of the adult female,
but only soft blue on the breast, side, croup and upper tail ; the beak black, eyes
black, feet black ; the red cheek-spot is absent. The change of colour takes place in the
fifth to the eighth week, when in the proper places the blue appears, ever growing
more defined and in the male the red cheek-spot.
" Almost the most delicate of all Or-namental Finches The hens die with the
slightest fluctuations of temperature and in the nesting season, unhappily, frequently
from egg-laying. It is therefore best in Autumn and Winter to deprive them of the
means of breeding and only provide these in our Spring. They nest equally well in
a cage or flying freety in the Bird-room, are peaceable with other birds and one
another ; several pairs can be kept together. For feeding their young, they require
fresh small ants' cocoons or must be accustomed to soaked ants' cocoons, with
egg-bread and always soaked seeds. At times they die quite as abundantly as the
little Amaranths, and after their arrival are even more delicate. With intelligent
* As uone of the WaxbiHs sings more slirill}' tliau E. phtemcotis, it would seem that this obsen-ation
refers to Granatifia.
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