Identifier: illustratedbooko00blak (find matches)
Title: The illustrated book of canaries and cage-birds, British and foreign
Year: 1878 (1870s)
Authors: Blakston, W. A Swaysland, W Wiener, August F
Subjects: Canaries Cage birds
Publisher: London New York : Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co.
Contributing Library: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library

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ther the male bird persecuting the hen and punishing her severely if she be not quite readyto receive his advances, or if the male should happen to be of a retiring disposition, thefemale may be seen pursuing him vigorously. Thus there is sure to be a family quarrelbefore the beginning of each brood, and these domestic feuds frequently become so inveterateas to upset the equanimity of all the other smaller inhabitants of an aviary. Presently, again,the male Saffron Finch may be seen pouring out his love-song to his mate, with head bentback, wings drooping and trembling, and the tail spread like a fan. Even a large cage is toosmall for these lively birds to breed in, but in a roomy aviary occupied by Weaver-birds,Java Sparrows, and such-like birds, the Saffron Finches will do well. In their wild state the Saffron Finches nestle in holes of walls or of decayed trees,or in the old nests of other birds. In the aviary they seem to prefer a cigar-box (as Ca,ssells Canaries & Cage Birds.
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VincentBrooiri Da/i Son lili I. SI HELENA SEED-EATtR or GREEN SINGING FINCH.2 GREY SINGING FINCH,^.AUSTRALIAN FIFIE-TAILED FINCH.4. BANDED GRASS FINCH.SAUSTRALIAN WAXBILL. S/.YG/yc- Finch. 417 illustrated in the introduction) to every other contrivance. In such a nest-box they forma rough mould with fibres, grasses, and whatever else is to hand, in which four orfive eggs, closely resembling those of a Sparrow, will be Jaid in as many days. Male andfemale sit alternately on the eggs, and in about fourteen days the young Saffron Finches willbe hatched. These, like the eggs, might be taken for a brood of Sparrows, but before leavingthe nest a greenish tint will begin to show on the nest-feathers of the brood. Any kind of soft food seems to do equally well for rearing Saffron Finches. A mixtureof egg, bread-crumbs, and scalded seeds will be found quite sufficient, but a few mealwormsor ants eggs will also be readily accepted by the parent-birds, who when not breeding willtake little else

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