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2 I 8 Foreign Finchcs in Captivity.
man to inspect it, when to iu_y astonisliiuent, it turned out to be a uest in a nest. Tlie
Munias evidently selected that of the Eagle to make their own in, to secure warmth
from their might}' companion."
The following account is also from the pen of the same a u t h o r B r e e d s in
August and September. The uest is a large loosely constructed fabric of fine grass,
at least on the outside. The lining is a soft flowering grass, and very neatly laid on
the interior of the nest. Tiie nests are almost always found supported in branches of
low jungle bushes, sometimes about the middle, at others uear the top. The nest is of
\-arions shapes, and its intcndai form appeared to me to be regulated according to
situation. When it could be done with convenience as well as safety, the nest
assumed an almost globidar shape, with an entrance hole at one side ; at other times it
IS open at the top, with the sides, or rather the grass of the sides, curving over
Again, some of the nests were of the shape of a hemisphere, with a hollow for the
eggs ; but whatever shape, the material of the nest ^vas the same.
" It is very difficult to state the number of eggs of a pair. I have found as many
as fifteen in one nest, and every one of them cpiite fresh, at least on blowing them
they appeared to be so. No doubt the eggs were of some two or three pairs. But I
believe six is about the regular number of one pair. In the assistant's bungalow at
Bubeena, a Weaver-bird's nest was hung up at one end of the verandah. Some short
tnne after a pair of Munias took possession of it, and, though the people were
constantly passing within a foot or two under it, the female laid six eggs.
Unfortunately the peon on ^vatch with his lathi accidentally struck the nest and
capsized it, eggs and all."
From Poona, J\Ir. E. Aitken writes " I have seen countless nests of this bird,
but it is difficult to give any accurate account of its nidification, owing to the confused
way in which it manages its domestic affairs. Sometimes two pairs seem to unite in
partnership, or, again, solitary females will go on laying any number of barren eggs,
as fast as the lizards can eat them np ! So my information must be a little vague.
" In Poona they breed in the cold season ; the)' commonly bnild all over the
rocky plains, but many also in gardens in the cantonment. The nest is usually about
six feet from the ground, and varies from a large hollow ball of fine grass, with a hole
at one side, to a flat nest with some of the grass bent over in an arch. The material
is almost always plain grass, there is no lining. In one case, which I took to be a real
boiui fide attempt to bring up a single family, I counted ^^'ith my finger six eggs ; but
I cannot remember any other trustworthy case in which there were so many eggs
belonging to one pair.
" I believe they frequently use their own and each other's old nests. Jerdon doe,s
The Indian Silver Bill. 219
not mention that they employ their old nests to sleep in. I have driven a whole flock
out of one after dusk."
Colonel Butler makes the following remark " I have seen numerous instances
in the neighbourhood of Belgaum, of nests built in the stick nests of Neophronginginianus
aud Aquila vindhiana, similar to the instance mentioned in the ' Rough
Draft of Nest and Eggs,' p. 453. In fact this appears to be one of the favourite sites
selected.
" This Munia breeds in the neighbourhood of Deesa, most plentifully, I believe,
during the rains ; but I have taken nests in almost everj' month of the year. I have
seen as many as fifteen eggs in one nest, aud numbers varying from nine to twelve are
common. Ou the 28th September, 1876, I found a nest containing fourteen eggs, of
which seven were much incubated, two slightly so, and five quite fresh. Only one
pair of birds appeared to be in possession of the uest."
Mr. G. Vidal, writing of this Munia in the S. Konkau, says :—" Scarce. I found
a nest on the 28th January, 1879, i " hill-side jungle in a bsr fZizyphiis jiijiibaj tree.
The uest, a round globe, was made externally of very dirty coarse grass, with a ^'ery
small opening at the top on one side. The nest inside was also shabby, but the lining
was of finer grass, and for ornament there were a few Green Paroquet's feathers.
Two old birds were sitting on four eggs. I got one bird, and while I was waiting for
the other to return, a lizard got into the nest, and within five minutes succeeded in
destroying three of the eggs, breaking two and making away with a third." In the
Deccan, according to ]\Iessrs. Davidson and Wenden, this species is "very common,
and breeds at all seasons."
In Ceylon this species breeds from December to March. The eggs are pure
Avhite, spotless, and devoid of gloss ; typically rather broad and perfect ovals."
As will be seen from the foregoing observations on the nesting habits of A
vialabarica, Indian naturalists have taken more pains to study the life of this one
common dull-coloured little Grass-Finch, than they have in the case of any other species,
excepting perhaps the Baj-a Weaver. The only explanation seems to be that widely
distributed aud abundant species which build conspicuous nests in every imaginable
position, are more easily studied than others. They come under the notice of
everyone ; and if information is asked for, almost any wide-awake person can give it.
However, " in the multitude of connsellers there is safety ; " therefore with all
these witnesses to the fact, the aviculturist may be certain that he can pair up this
species for breeding at any time in the year, without doing violence to its natural
instincts. He may also be sure that several pairs associated in the same aviary will
not hinder the breeding arrangements of each other. Finally he may be quite
"mm