244 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



breast, which are black. This is a true sparrow, and 

 resembles its typical English namesake in size and appear- 

 ance. 



St, Helena Seed-Eater. — This bird is also known by 

 the name of green singing finch. It is greenish grey 

 above and golden yellow below ; a grey streak passes across 

 the eye to the back of the head, and a black one below it 

 from the base of the lower mandible ; the rump is yellow : 

 the legs, feet, and bill arc yellowish grey. In size it 

 about equals a redpoll. 



The female is not as brightly tinted as the male. 



The green singing finch breeds freely in confinement,, 

 both with a mate of its own kind and with a canary, in 

 which case the mules resemble the father, but are larger, 

 and show but little trace of their maternal descent. 



It has a sweet song, and is somewhat quarrelsome in a 

 mixed aviary. 



Food similar to the canary. 



It is a native of Eastern Africa, but has been naturalised 

 at St, Helena. 



Sulphury Seed-Eater. — Very much like the last, from 

 which it is chiefl}- distinguished by the paler tint of its 

 yellow rump and breast. 



Yellovv-Rumped, or Hartlaub'.s Seed-Eater. — Upper 

 parts greenish yellow, wing coverts something darker, with 

 small blackish brown spots and greenish lines ; head and 

 face grey ; rest of plumage yellow. Female like the male, 

 but paler. Size and shape of the siskin. 



It breeds freely in captivity, both with a mate of its own 

 species and with other finches. 



Food and treatment the same as the preceding. 



Singing Finch. — This rather insignificant-looking little 

 bird is about the size of a redpoll, of a grey colour above 

 and white on the lower surface. It possesses considerable 



