2,38 Foreign Finches in Captivity. The Spice Finch.
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' 111 this district the breeding season is August. They construct a large round nest
(some 25 inclies in circumference, witli a small circular hole on one side as an
entrance) of the broad leaves of Cholum (//, sorghnvi), rice and barley straw, and in
some very thorny bush or tree, commonly selecting the Valum {Acacia sp). The nest
is lined with barlej' beards. 1 liave alwa3-s found seven eggs, never more.
" 'The pair generally lay a thick foundation (as we may well call it) of Cholum
leaves between the forks of a convenient branch, and then they commence building the
proper nest, which is of an immense size compared to the bird, which is about 5jin. in
length. It takes them some days before the nest is properly completed. The pair
are always seen to fly out of the nest (during the time of incubation) when disturbed,
but I cannot say for a certainty whether they both sit on the eggs or not ; I think
they do, as the number of eggs is too great for a single bird to cover. 1 very seldom
found a bad egg amongst the ones which contained young ones. I usually found
only a single pair building on a tree, but occasionally several build on the same.'
" Mr. Holdsworth tells us:—' I have seen many nests at Orissa and near
Colombo, and have often watched the bird biting off the grass-stems and taking them
to the nest, which has generally been a large structure, sometimes placed near the
end of a branch, but more commonly in a thick bush.'
" Colonel E. A. Butler writes :—' I found the Spotted IMmiia building at Mount
Aboo in September, 1875.
" ' A pair were breeding at the top of a palm tree, about 30 or 40 feet from
the ground, on the 23rd instant, and I found another nest on the 28th instant, the
eggs of which had, however, nnfortunatelj- been destroyed (probabljr by ants, as
portions of the shell remained at the bottom of the nest).'
" W r i t i n g from the plains of Pegu, Mr. Eugene Gates saj-s :—' This species
builds generally in July and August, but a few nests are found throughout the
year. It is common all along the Irrawaddy vallej-, and nests chiefl}' in thorny bushes,
almost alwaj'S within the reach of the hand.
" 'The eggs of this species, and I have a vast series from different parts of the
conntry, are t3'picall3' elongated ovals, more or less pointed towards the small end ;
and although single eggs of this bird and U. malaharica are compared, the more
elongated character of the former is very marked. They are, when fresh, before
blowing, a delicate pinky white, the shells, as in the case of so man}? pure white eggs,
being partialljr translucent; when emptied of their contents the shells are like little
balls of snow, pure, dead, spotless and glossless ^vhite, occasionally, as is the case
always with similar eggs, more or less discoloured if incubation has been at all
prolonged.' "
My private opinion is that the two Indian forms M. -pitnctidata and M. subundulata
represent the "Nutmeg-finch" or "Spice-bird," and "Bar-breasted Finch" of English
dealers; but there is so much confusion in the application of the scientific names,
scientists and dealers using these appellations in a different sense that, in spite of
several letters from Mr. Abrahams, I do not see my way clear. It would seem that
M. piiiictidata of scientists (which is U. nisoria of Jerdoii and of the trade) is the Spicefinch
of the scientists and the Bar-breasted Finch of the trade. Then apparently
M. sabundidata (plus M. nisorici) becomes the Spice-fincli of the dealers, for -which
Major Godwin-Austin did not propose a trivial name.
Writing in November, 1893, Mr. Abrahams says :—"Ther e are three varieties of
Spice-bird, Mania punctularia is the common Spice-bird with the greyish rump, Munia
nisoria is called the Bar-breasted Finch and has a golden-brown rump : this is the bird
you have, I think ; and the third kind is ñlunia tópela, the Topela-finch."
Unfortunateljr the true M. punctiUata of Linneus is the species with the goldenbrown
rump according to Dr. Sharpe; at least he calls it " straw yellow, with a golden
gloss ;" but of M. siibiuidiilata he says " pale straw-yellow with an olive tinge, and a
shade of hoary olive pervades the tail," which seems to represent the " greyish " (as
contrasted with the " golden-brown ") of Mr. Abrahams' letter.*
Under the circumstances I prefer to use the title of " Spice-bird" only and leave
aviarists to settle the naming of the races to suit themselves.
In July, 1894, Mr. Abrahams kindly sent me a pair of the Topela-finch, about
which happily there is no confusion.
Dr. Russ says :—" In my Bird-room the Javan Nutmeg-finch built several nests,
sometimes openly in the bushes, sometimes in a roomy box, or 011 the top of a wirecage
hanging high up on the wall; these were externally like a tangled heap of all
kinds of rough nesting-stuff, but inside were carefully lined with feathers and cottonwool.
The breeding process is similar to that of the little Silver-pheasant. In the
course of years I have only twice obtained young, but of these only one lived. The
young plumage is uniform fawn gre3'ish-brown ; beak, eyes, and feet are black."
The Doctor considers that fanciers ought not to trouble to distinguish the races,
inasmuch as they are not only extremely similar in plumage, but also identical in their
habits, disposition, mode of nesting, &c. I would not go so far as this ; for I think
every aviarist ought to be able to distinguish the races when he sees them, if possible.
At the same time, in the case of the two Indian forms this is not always possible;
* On the other hand it is possible that the Malayan Spice-finch, which has a greyish shade over the rump, may
be the M. punctularia " intended by Mr. Abrahams ; only its real name is " M. nisoria " and it does not come from
India.