Some Colony Birds. 83 



slumbering ember. In size it is not so large as our Sparrow; 

 but it is much more graceful in form, hence its generic name, 

 coryphospingiis, Greek, " the small slender bird." 



The body of 'the bird, except the back is a dull crim- 

 son-lake merging into pink at the throat; the back, wings and 

 tail, are dark wann brown. Around the eye, in lieu of eye- 

 lashe:^ are tiny pinkish, almost white feathers which give the 

 bird the air of wearing spectacles. The crest, which, however, 

 he seldom erects, is in the shape of a half-closed fan, with 

 the broad side in front; it is bright, silken, scarlet, with the 

 outer edges almost black. Its nole is a long, indrawn, almost 

 hiss-like, monotone: ts — 5. Its song, though it rarely sings 

 in a cage is a see-saw on two notes and can hardly be called 

 beautiful. But its colour and lively disposition make it a des- 

 irable cage-bird. It is never seen in, a cage, however, for the 

 people of the colony think a bird " no good unless it can 

 sing, sir." 



ll has a pleasing habit of springing up perpendicularly 

 and dropping down lagain like a bouncing ball; or of throw- 

 ing itself upwards towards the bars of the cage, clinging fur 

 a moment and then flinging itself back again. A pair I had 

 would 'sil for a long while by the side of a small mirror, and 

 seemed very annoyed when a pair of small Doves took up that 

 position; they would go up to them and try to hustle them 

 our of the coveted spot. 



Coryphospin^us is not easily tamed though when once 

 kept in a 'cage will generally return when set at liberty." It 

 is charming when caught in the hand, erecting its flaming 

 crest and uttering cries of protestation. The crest when at 

 rest is simply a streak of bright crimson. 



The hen is a iiiodilied replica of the cock and has no 

 crest. 



The Fire-flnch is not uncommon in town, but being 

 very shy is not often observed. 



The Creole Canary. The Creole Canary, or Canary 

 Grass-bird {Sycalis arveiiis) is very like that variety of the 

 domestic Canary which in England wc call the "' Lizard," 

 though much suuller; and 1 vcutuic the opinion that it is, 



