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so ill the hen. The note of this species, while not unlike that of 

 the common Sparrow is less unmusical. Jerdon states that it 

 nests in the hollow hamhoos of the roofs of houses in some parts 

 of India, but all the nests that I have found have been in cavities 

 of trees, usually at no great height from the ground. The eggs are 

 not unlike those of Passer domesticus in colouration. This species 

 undergoes local migration in India. It is merely a hot weather 

 visitor to the Punjab, migrating southwards in the autumn. 



The only Indian species of the true finch having a really 

 pleasant song is the Common Rose Finch (Carpodacus erythrinus). 

 The vocal performances of these species are thus described by 

 Blyth : " A feeble twittering song, but soft and pleasing, being 

 intermediate to that of the Goldfinch, and that of the small Red- 

 poll Ivinnet; the call note much resembling that of a canary bird." 



This species does not stay in India to breed. It is merely 

 a winter visitor to Hindustan. 



The hen is an inconspicuous greenish-brown bird, but the 

 cock is, when in full breeding plumage, quite a dandy, his crown, 

 throat, breast and rump being brilliant crimson. It usually goes 

 about in little companies, and these gather into larger flocks 

 preparatory to the migratory flight. 



The only other members of the finch tribe commonly seen 

 in the plains are the Buntings. These are, like the Rose Finch, 

 winter visitors to India. They stay in that country until the 

 spring crops have been harvested and then go northwards to 

 breed. They congregate in considerable numbers at places where 

 the cereal crops are ripening, and hence are known as 

 Yellow Corn Bunting. The species most commonly seen are the 

 Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) and the Red- 

 headed Bunting (Zs. luteola). Numbers of these are netted by 

 the bird-catchers and sold as cage birds. But they do not appear 

 to be very interesting pets. I once kept a conple in a cage with 

 some Amadavats, or Red Wax-bills as they are commonly called 

 in England. These latter, although not much more than half 

 the size of the Buntings, treated them very badly. The Buntings 

 were made to roost on the floor of the cage, which I take to be 

 the greatest degradation, short of plucking out feathers, or biting 

 off legs, which one bird can inflict on another. 

 ( To be couti?iued). 



