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200 Foreign Finches in Captivily.
erected in the middle of the field resting on four high bamboo stalks, whence
nnnierons threads rnn in all directions to thin bamboo sticks set up at certain
distances from one another through the whole field : to these threads are hung
large dry leaves, gay rags, dolls, wooden clappers and such like things. Now
when the person sitting in the little watch-house, like a spider in a web, pulls
the threads, at the same moment all the dry leaves rustle, the dolls shake, the
clappers sound and the unbidden guests fly away frightened. Also after the
harvest the birds find their table well spread in the rice-fields lying fallow to the
commencement of the rainy season, that is till towards the beginning of No\-ember,
as numerous acres not onl}- lie fallow but also all kinds of weeds spring up
among the stubble in an incredibly short space of time, wdiose seeds quicklj'
ripening afford them a welcome nourishment. At this time thej' are fairly- plump
and well nourished and offer, especiallj' the young ones, a favourite dish, on which
account the}- are snared in large numbers.
" I ha\'e several times found the nest of Muiiia oryzivora: sometimes at the
summit of various trees, sometimes among.the numerous creepers which co\'er the
stenjs of the Areng palms. The^- vary in size and form according to their
position : whilst those attached to trees are for the most part larger and possess,
on the average, a fairl}"- regularly half ball shaped form, those placed among
creepers on the stems of Areng palms are smaller and of a less decided, irregular
form, onljr slighth" hollowed out in the centre. All nests however are almost
exclusively composed of the stalks of various grasses which are not verj- firmljtwined
together, so that the whole build is of no great solidity. The number of
the shining white, somewhat long-shaped eggs varies between six and eight in
the nests found by me. Their diameter lengthwise amounts to 2i mill., their
greatest diameter through the middle 14 millim."
Mr. Allan Hume says ;—" This species, the well-known Java Sparro\\-, a
native of that island but now naturalized in Mauritius, Cejdon and other places,
has naturalized itself also in the neighbourhood of Madras, whence I have had
many specimens, killed wild, as well as the eggs sent to me by my friend the
late Captain Mitchell. He " found a nest near Madras in August containing five
eggs. It was placed like a Munia's in a thorny bush 7 or 8 feet from the ground.
The nest was globular and very large, chiefly composed of fine grass but with a
few broad-bladed leaves of millet intertwined. The entrance small, circular, and
lateral.
" The eggs were very regular ovals, pure glossless white, and varied from
0.7 to 0.75 in length, and were (all the three sent me) 0.55 in breadth."
I
The Java Sparroiu. 261
Dr. Russ says :—" One of the most anciently imported of the Ornamentalfinches
; Vieillot had a " Padda for seven years in a cage. Singularly enough
however it was only bred in the most recent period (since 1870) first by Dr.
Stolker of St. Fiden, and after that by many others. Nest careless, yet usuall}-
domed, of straw, hay, feathers and the like in nest boxes, cigar-boxes and other
enclosiires. Young plumage ;—dark mouse grey, underside clear yellowish grey ;
flight and tail-feathers dark grey, no clear white defined cheeks; beak black, waxyskin
glands white; eyes black, margin yellowish-tawny-grey; feet pale flesh-coloured.
Change 0/ colour .-—at eight days after flight the plumage begins to grow brighter,
the upper surface graduall)' poppy-blue-grej-, below reddish ; the beak after five
weeks flesh-red; the eyes alread}- brownish red, the feet reddish flesh-coloured ;
after moulting, like the old birds in colouring and size (Dr. Stolker).
Sons: like the ringing of diminutive bells.* Enduring, always smooth and
neat, in a cage as in the Bird-room harmless and peaceable. Breeding difficult,
not remunerative."
" T h e snow-white Rice-bird with its shining rose-red beak and feet; doubtless
one of the most beautiful domesticated birds. Come in increasing numbers into
the trade; from the cleanest purest white to blue-clouded and wholly pied. Has
been kept in a cage in Japan for hundreds of years and selected as a fancy-species
bj- patient breeding, like the white house-dove and yellow Canary-bird, also
abundantly bred among us. Development corresponding with that of the original
species ; but nests more easily and with greater certainty."
With regard to the breeding of these two forms of the Rice-birds, my experience
does not coincide altogether with that of Dr. Russ. From time to time
I had pairs of the wild type, which never showed any inclination to breed: then
I purchased what was supposed to be a pair of the white variety and placed them
in a roomy breeding-cage with a large nest-box hung up in one corner. The two
bird's were always flghting, one invariablj' went to roost in the box and the other
on the top of it. Sometimes the outsider would suddenly enter the box; then
there was a battle royal, no end of growling, flapping of wings and knocking of
heads against the woodwork. Then just when one expected to see the combatants
emerge in a ragged, bleeding and half dead condition, out they would pop, as
smooth and trim as though they had been engaged in preening one another's
feathers, faultless in plumage. One would now descend to the seed pan to feed
and the other would sit on the perch and sing.
Of course I soon discovered that I had two cock birds, so I wrote to Mr.
* This evidenUy refers to tlie " Torcuiniee, iiircuuitong" part of tlie Avild bird's song. A.G.B.
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