COMMOnsr^^RIOATNT WAXBILL . S
S T H B L BNA W A X B I L X j . i .
THE C0M>.40N AFRICAN WAXBILL.
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'"I^HE African Waxbill inhabits Sciiegambia to tlie River Niger, across to Northeastern
and Equatorial Afric;i, :ind southwards to the Tanganyika district.
The general colonr. above is deer; ^^reyisli brown, the tail dark brown, the under
¡jarts pale bro\mish: the cheeks ami . ii whitish; the breast washed with rose-colour;
;iie centre of the abdomen is occupy.' 'iv a dilFused rose-red streak; the sides of the
face and the chin are whitish; the bouk and a streak froin the beak through the eye
to the ear are deep coral red; the whon of tlie feathers in both sexes are transversely
barred with blackish or brown iuies; t!u; female has less rose-red on the under parts
than tlie male, but otherwise is \erv -similar. Length 4 inches. Legs flesh-brown,
iris brown
Dr. Rnss calls this " T h e Grey A.'iirikl " and says that it is frequently and in great
numbers obtainable in the Bird-niarV; c, not onl}- regarded by amateurs with great
affection, but also treasured b}- the dealers. Enduring, little delicate, it hardly ever
comes into the trade badly feathered, is beautifully if not exactly splendidly coloured,
is graceful in its maimers and uncommonty lively.
vSingtilarly enough of the many examples which I have at various times possessed
of this pretty.little bird, not one has lived with me for any great length of time:
indeed I do not believe any of my specimens t)f E . cinerca ever lived longer than a.
j-ear. One j'ear 'a pair constructed a very beautiful and almost perpendicularly oval
nest in a bush in mj' Bird-room, forming the outside entirelj' of hay neatl}- plaited
!oi7ether; the hen sat inside and pa.ssed the ends of the bents through to the cock
•hich cliing on otitside and passed them back to her; the einr:mce was at the front,
circular; the lining so far as I could discover also consisted of tiner hay, but there
ijiay have been other materials mixed with it; three or four eggs were laid, but not
iied, the other Waxbills being too much interested in the proceedings to give the
parc'.its much peace when,sitting.
Dr. Russ saj's If not allowed to nest, the Grey Astrild is easy to keep in tlie
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