33 



THK ROSH-ERIvAvSTKD OROSHKAK, AND 



OTHER BIRDvS. 



Sir, — I am a gieat admirer of the Rose-1)reasted 

 Grosbeak, aud have often praised it for its song-, in the 

 *' Feathered World." It was the finest son<<-bird of all 

 forei<i[n Inrds which I have possessed — and the Pnrple 

 Finch the second best. Both of these species I obtained 

 by accident. For many years I was on the look-out for a 

 live Pine Grosbeak, and not then knowing what a Rose- 

 breasted Grosbeak was, I thought when I saw, in 1879, 

 one advertized by Cross, for 8/-, I would send for it. It 

 was not a Pine Grosbeak, as I had expected, but, as one 

 of my rules is never either to buy or sell on approval, I 

 kept the bird, and was very pleased with its song. I have 

 had man}' since, but I never gave more than 12/6 each for 

 them. When mine died iu the aviary they were alwaj's 

 very fat. They were, all but one, quite harmless to 

 other birds. The one exception ate a nest of four Gold- 

 finch-Linnet hybrids when a week old. Brehm writes of 

 this l)ird : " The song is very rich and pleasing, . . . the 

 I\Iocking-bird is the only American species that can beat 

 it." The author of " Citizen Bird," write : "Wearing 

 a beautiful rosy shield on his breast, and singing at 

 morning aud evening more beautifully even than the 

 very best (American) Robin." 



When I obtained a live Pine Grosbeak, I bought it 

 as a Siberian Rose-finch — which it was not. I had got a 

 stuffed Pine Grosbeak, besides books describing it. 



I have only seen one live Rose-finch, which was 

 exhibited as a Carmine Bunting. 



I have had the Scarlet Grosbeak, but it is of no 

 use for either song, show, or breeding. The Purple-finch 

 is the same colour, and will both sing and breed. The 

 first of my Purple-finches I bought from Cross at 15/- the 

 pair, as "American Linnets," and it was a long time 

 before I knew their proper name. Ultimateh', the Rev. 

 H. A. Macpherson informed me, from my description 



