m
140 J'^mign Finches in Captiinty.
warmth of a room,* also in pairs in a cage as in an a^'iary, where it is one of the most
peaceable, and endures in excellent condition for several years. Its breeding is more
difficult than that of many other Oruamental-fiuches. Flying freely in a Bird-room,
a pair may perhaps once in a way attain to a productive brood, in a cage on the contrary,
let it be ever so advantageously disposed, the result always depends upon a rare
fortunate accident. If one wishes to get a pair to breed flying freely, it will eagerly
take steps to breed in August and September, and if disturbed, again in March and
April, It is best to let it breed in the Spring, as soon as fresh ant's cocoons are to be
had. Of green Asparagus-sprays, they construct in a little basket a spherical, overarched,
elegant, true work of art, with lateral narrow entrance hole, in which the cup
is lined with hair, cotton, threads, etc. At another time they willingly form a similar
nest of Agave or Aloe-fibres, also, out of all kinds of building materials they heap up
a shapel}' tower, which reaches from the nest-basket to the roof of the cage and thereon
they place a badly arched similarly lined cup. Laj'ing: three to five small, elongated
pointed shining ^vhite eggs. Male and female incubate in turn, often also for hours
in company. The breeding, from the first egg to the flight of the young, is compassed
in about four weeks. Ä^estling-doiL'it pale bluish-white, with beautiful blue-white
wax-skin on both sides of the beak. Youjig pluiuage like that of the adults. Beak
however shining black ; the red superciliary stripe, the rose-red suffusion of the lower
body aud the wavy marking are wanting. Change of colour usually three weeks after
flight; the feathering becomes uniformly darker and more noticeably clear grey, the
red superciliary stripe appears by degrees ; the beak becomes lighter and changes from
dirty j'ellow and yellow-red into true red; also the wavy lines become gradually visible.
In the fifth to eighth week the change of colour is completed, so that, if the nesting
season should come on exactl}' then, the rose red of the under body is already coming
to the surface. The distinction of the sexes is so much the more difficult, since two
of the same sex, placed in one cage, show the tenderness of a true pair, and this is one
more reason for the difficulty of breeding them. This happened moreover to me at
first. Hybrids have already been reared between the Grey Astrild and the little
Helena-pheasant, Orange-cheek, little Gold-breast and Amaranth. The Grey Astrild
has no proper song; both consorts of the pair utter piping, melodious call-notes, and
a low whispering, and the male accompanies its dancing love-movements with loud
chirruping flute-like cries."
In his "Fremdländischen Stubenvögel," Dr. Russ observes:—"As with many
animals and particularly the birds, the tail is also in a special manner in the case of
This would probabl}'represent a iviiitcr leiiiperEiture of between 60 to 70 degree-s Fahr.; con.sideraijh' more
than my birds ever enjoyed.—A.G.B,
The Common African Ilaxôi//. 141
the smallest Ornamental Finches the signal or indicator, which reveals their feelings.
This shows itself to the observer in very interesting fashion. In the cool of the
morning, the pair cowers in the scrub, closely pressed against one another and with
motionless tails ; as soon as the sun shoots down warmer ra3's and the company of
Little-beaks grows more lively, the tails are immediately put into appropriate motion,
aud I might almost affirm that every varj'ing sentiment could be expressed by a different
kind of whisk with the tail. Now they fl}' to the food-basket, ' heioza ! ' * now the tails
merrily see-saw sliarpl}' up and down. Then they hasten to the drinking-bowl,
from which a Weaver-bird drives them back, and again a different feeling is expressed
by the nervous downward swing of the tail. After thej' have drunk they flutter
about in the bush, restlessly darting here and there and searching. Now they seem
to have discovered what they sought ; it is a nest-basket, hanging in a large wire-cage,
aud whilst the male stands on the edge of the basket and the female in the entrance to
the cage—how differently once again the tails jerk, the graceful movements go
horizontallv from right to left aud momentarily both birds are engaged in the
most searching investigation and deliberation as to whether the nest-basket is
suitable for the pitrpose and fulfils all its pretentions. At last the choice is fixed
and the male now begins, with methodical haste, to drag up building materials
for the construction of the nest, whilst the female at first sits on one side apparently
nnconcenied, but presently slips into the quickl}' rounded nest and completes the
interior of the outer structure. Then at noon, as soon as the two Grey Astrilds,
like the majorit}' of other Ornamental Finches, have had their rest, closelv huddled
together, the male suddenly flies upwards, raises his head high and saucily, and
now begins a comical jumping up aud down," Dr, Russ then proceeds to describe
the courtship in much the same amusing and interesting fashion, the escape of the
female Avhilst the male is engaged in his love songs, the pursuit and capture
of the bride. Indeed, Dr, Russ has the art of being not onlj- instructive but
entertaining in his writings : the only difSculty to an English translator is his
occasional use of terms not to be found in the majority of dictionaries ; some of
them perhaps coined for the occasion, others technical or perhaps popular trade
terms, equivalent to such Engli.sh words as " Old Judge " or "Nav3'-Cut"; all of
which are doubtless as clear as noonda^r to the German reader, but a Cimmerian
fog to the English translator.
Illustration from a skin of the male in the Natui'al Historv Museum,
* Whellier the Uuglish equivalent of this e.xpression is "Fire away!" or "Go it!" 1 have been unable
to discover.
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