257 



him." Ill his interesting work (i. p. 213) Mr. Wallace 

 describes a nestling as follows: "A most curious 

 object, as large as a pigeon, but without a particle of 

 plumage on any part of it. It was exceedingly plump 

 and soft, and with a semi-transparent skin, so that it 

 looked more like a bag of jelly with head and feet 

 stuck on than like a real bird." 



^be ©nail jfmcb. 



{Orlygospiza polyzotia). 

 By R. vSUGGITT, 



A few of these queer little finches were offered 

 for sale on the bird market during the summer of 1905,. 

 and, late in August, I became the fortunate possessor 

 of a very dilapidated male specimen. He was dirty, 

 in bad feather, and not in the best of health. The 

 latter however, by careful treatment, rapidly improved. 



My bird is no larger, but more stoutly built than 

 an Avadavat. The general colour is a dull brown, 

 greyer on the underparts, and barred with white on 

 the sides of the breast and flanks. The centre of his 

 breast is bright chestnut; the face and throat, sooty 

 black ; the outer tail feathers edged with creamy 

 white; beak, red ; feet, flesh colour. He has a quaint 

 little song, resembling the whine and bark of a minia- 

 ture dog. 



The cage in which I placed him upon arrival, was 

 fitted up with the usual perches, but they were alto- 

 gether unnecessary, for he remained at the bottom of 

 the cage all day, and slept there at night, preferring 

 to sit on a millet spray. He never went on a perch 



