"^.'jSf»
mIt
jForcign' Finches in Captivity.
«1; ! 11
conduct it lins, as alreacl}- nieutioned in the introduction, an exceedingly close
resemblance to the Astrilds, the building of the overarched nest, as well as the
fact that the first pair in m}' bird-room laid pure white eggs, had already led me
to the conclusion that it is an intermediate link, probably a representative of the
Ornamental Finches in America. Closer observation, howe\^er, revealed the mistaken
character of this view, especially as it has been seen in the foregoing descriptions
that a considerable number of other allied Finches, especially in their first broods,
also lay white eggs, as in general the eggs of all these birds are extraordiuaril}-
unlike in the bird-room and in freedom."
I quite concur with Dr. Russ in the opinion that the absence of marking and
even colour from the first clutch of eggs is of no importance as proving its affinity
to the Waxbills ; but another fact which he mentions later—that both male and
female sit together on the eggs, certainljr favours the view that this species is
allied to the Ornamental Finches. The first eggs laid by Linnets and other
European Finches when wild are often unspotted and paler than those produced
later; indeed I have found eggs both of Linnets, Greenfinches, and Bullfinches
nearl}- white and an entire clutch of eggs of the Yellow-Hammer pure white and
unspotted : but it would be a ver}- strange thing to discover both sexes of a truly
Fringilline bird associated in the act of incubation ; whereas this is of common
occurrence among' the small Ploceine Finches.
Illustrations from skins in the Natural History Museum and from sketches
made at the Crystal Palace Bird-show.
h!
T H E WEAVERS.
Ploctidm.
Y y E now come to the most popular Knch-lxke Birds, the so-called "Ornamental
Fmches of the fancier. Birds of which probably thousands are imported
for every true Fmch that is sent home, and which, at our shows of foreign birds
c S c l i n a i r " ' ' " "" ^^^-ted to'
The family Plocndo. is divided into two sub-families, the V^duincc or Whydahlike
-rds which contains the whole of the Waxbills, Grassfinches, MannLns
and true Whydahs; and the Plocunce or Weaver-like birds, including the mor
t3-pical Weavers. ®
The term "Ornamental Finch" is applicable to the Waxbills. Grassfinches
and Mannikins and answers to the German word " Prachtfink."
•I'.: