All 7ii(/hfs RrsrrvcJ. July, 1913. 



BIRD NOTES: 



THE 



JOURNAL OF THE FOREIGN BIRD CLUB 



Three Pyteliae 



By Wesi.ky T. Paoe. F.Z.S., Etc. 



So far as I know, noii(> of this l)('autiful j^'omis have 

 been bred in Great Rritaiii. It is an African g-oDus. Init the 

 only species I propose rofcM'riny to in those notes are: 



The Melba Finch (Pyfrlia melha). 



The Eed -faced Finch (P. afra). 



The Crimson -winged Finch (P. phonenicopfera). 



With Mr. Goodcliild's beautiful drawing as our frontis- 

 piece, but little in the way of eulogy will be needed, and 

 most bird -lovers, evon if they have not kept them, have made 

 their acquaintance on the show bench. 



Melba Finch (Pi/trlia fZonogastrisJ melha). Well as 

 ■this beautiful species is known not a great deal has been 

 written about it, and unfortunately the claims upon my time 

 at this juncture, do not permit of any systematic research or 

 compilation. 



Captain Shelley states that it fi-ef|uents low Mimosa 

 bushes, mostly in pairs. 



Mr, Anderson ("Birds of Damara Land") writes: "This 

 "Finch is found sj^aringly in Damara and Great Namaqua 

 "Land, and usually occurs in pairs; its favourite resort is 

 " low bush and abandonerl village fences, whence the Damaras 

 "call it the 'Kraal Bird,' Its food consists of seeds and 

 " insects." 



Mr. Anderson calls it the Southern Red-faced Finch. 



M. Heuglin writes: .... "its summer and winter 

 "dress hardly differ. Tt is always found singly or among 

 "clumps of trees, in thick scrub and bushes, dry sandy districts 

 "suit it better than other localities, and it leads a quiet and 

 "retired life. We have not observed it at great elevations, 

 "and just as little on the grassy levels; though it only flies 

 "a few feet at most alwve the ground, it only descends to 



