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144 ¡•'orcigii Fi i i c l K S in Caplwitv.
is called 'Little Pheasant' because in its love-song- and dance it exhibits a
Pheasant like appearance."
" Flying at large in the Bird-room the Helena-pheasants nest readih', and
regnlarly rear their yonng without mishap provided thej' get fresh ants' cocoons,
or if accustomed to egg-food and the temperature never falls below fifteen degrees,
Reauin., that is to sa}-, however, provided they are not disturbed by other birds ;
in an extremely large cage it is more difficult, because in the nesting season they
are nnusuallv lively."
" When breeding ver)- loveable ; the male makes a loud warbled song of jo}-,
of some bars, to resound *. A\-st generally placed openly in a bush or on a support
usually high up near the ceiling; in ni}- Bird-room they have never chosen a
Hartz cage or nest basket. It resembles that of the Grey Astrild, and nevertheless
from its locality, has a different aspect. With me they chose the coarser building
materials. Thej- heaped up a high tower of dried chickweed, thick hay stalks,
shreds, etc., and with cotton threads, long horsehairs, feathers and wadding they
formed a neatly smoothed but barel}- overarched cup."
" Male and female built and incubated in common, like the Grey Astrilds.
This species also I was the first to breed. Laying :—Three to five long'ish
tapering eggs. Akstling-dozmi of the young bluish ; y o u n g p l u m a g e almost like that
of the adults, the beak however black. Change o f colour:—The red on the lower breast
and abdomen constantly comes out more strongly; whereby the feathering always
appears a darker brown ; about the fifth week the beak becomes coloured as in
the Grey Astrild. Hybrids have hitherto been reared from the Helena-pheasant
with the Gre)- Astrild, Orange cheeked, as well as the little Silverbill and
Thorn-Astrild (Sydney Waxbill.) "
" In the course of time the Helena-pheasant has nested in manj? Bird-rooms
and is one of the most diligent, but also most unreliable nesters. When breeding
not peaceable towards its own kind; two breeding pairs must never be kept in
one room. In an aviary-cage however entirely pacific. In spite of its apparently
powerful body, tender and weakly, readily perishing from cold, damp and draught:
easy to keep in the temperature of a room."
As the temperature of my Bird-room is lower than that of a Gennan dwellingroom
in winter, I have never been able to keep the St. Helena Waxbill there for any
length of time: f indeed, with me it has gone off more quickly than the " Common
* I cannot SELJ tliat I have ever lieard more than six notes in this song, which is, however, wonderfnllv
loud and clear, A.Cl.B.
t This year, (1895,1 I iif^ve been more siieccssful, a pair having li\-ed in mv Waxbill aviarv for some
months, and being still in good health.
T h e St. H e l e n a Ilaxdill.
African Waxbill." And yet, I do not believe that dry cold kills this bird
necessarilj-'; btit rather sudden fluctuations of the temperature, and 1 ba.se this
opinion on the following evidence —:
In 1893 a friend brought me three St. Helena Waxbills, and told me I could
have them at the absurdly low price of eighteen pence a head. I declined at
first on the score of never being able to keep these birds alive for more than two
or three weeks : he however did not seem to care much about taking them home
again ; so, as they were in first-rate condition, I thought I would try the experiment
of cool treatment upon them. I tnnied these three St. Helena Waxbills
into mj' coolest aviary in October, and they all lived happily there until the
middle of November; when first one, and then the second died: the third
continued to live, in spite of six, twelve, and even t\\'enty-one degrees of frost, and is
alive and well as I write, having passed two whole winters -without warmth.
For this species, as for the other African Waxbills, I should recommend a large
box-cage with a warmly lined night shelter ; unless a temperature of at least 60
degrees, Fahr. could be secured. In my ov/n case this is a difficult matter, as I
ha^•e a large area to warm, but nevertheless I shall eventually endeavour to obtain
a higher temperature for my pets. For, although I have proved, that cold and
even a certain amount of dr}- frost do not necessarihr kill the most delicate birds ;
it stands to reason that the}- must feel happier and more inclined to breed in a
climate which more nearlj' approaches their own.
On the other hand, it is a singular fact that birds coming from the hottest
parts of India and Australia are often able to survive severe winters in an unheated
aviary ; indeed the Gouldian, Diamond, Parson, Zebra, and Cherr)--finches
of Australia utterly disregard very severe frosts, provided that they have plenty
of space for exercise and boxes to which, if they desire, they can retire at night.
Illustration from living specimens and several skins in the author's collection.
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