75 



tween the more or less vinous or purplish-vinous 

 colour of the two birds cannot be considered dis- 

 tinctive characters. ... It is to be hoped that 

 further investigation will shortly decide whether I am 

 right or wrong. (6) 



We next come to species more nearly related to the Com- 

 mon Firefinch. Of tliese the first is L. rufopicta, which Dr. 

 Russ in the main portion of his work calls the Red-breasted 

 Firefinch, bnt in the latter part he amends the adjective to the 

 more appropriate one of *' vSpotted." On this species he writes 

 as follows : (I use his later name) — 



The Spotted Firefinch is distinguished from the 

 common Firefinch by its olive brown upper surface, 

 and the vinous-red (7) of its forehead, sides of head 



(6) I ha%'e not included Dr. Russ' description, as repetitions of long- 

 verbal descriptions of plumage must be tedious, and the one he gives under 

 the Masked Firefinch applies ahnost exactly to the male of this species, as I 

 mentioned above. The following description of the hen is from a living 

 specimen : In general colour like the cock ; no black on head or face : crown 

 sooty-grey, lighter on sides of head: chin and throat light fawn - grey ; 

 chest a brighter and more salmon-pink than the back ; belly pink washed 

 with ochre; a very few spots on sides of chest; wings and tail as in the 

 cock, but the colours not so bright and the tail feathers sepia below, not 

 black. Bill etc. as in the male. In size the hen is a shade smaller than the 

 cock' I need hardly, I think, remind our readers that Mr. Goodchild gave 

 us a wonderfully lifelike plate of the two sexes in last year's volume of 

 ''Bird Notes," a picture which most happily hits ofif their attitude, colour, 

 and surroundings. 



This species is a native of West Africa. In the Gambia, where I made it's 

 acquaintance, it is distinctly rare and very local. I have never seen it away 

 from bamboo country, and not all through that even. Tliey live in 

 small parties in .secluded spots, not courting publicity like the Common 

 Firefinch. The diagnostic points of the three species (as given in the Brit. 

 Museum Cat.) are : 



Black of head and throat surrounded by red, 



Black of crown confined to forehead, chest red viiiacea. 



Front half of crown and the chest black lai-vafa. 



Black of head surrounded by grey ; forehead, crown, 

 mantle and breast grey nign'collts, 



(7) "Dark pink," as in the Brit. Mus. Catalogue, more accurately des- 

 cribes the colour. 



