All rights reserved. December, T917. 



BIRD NOTES: 



THE 



JOURNAL OF THE FOREIGN BIRD CLUB 



Bicheno's and Ringed Finches, 



(Stictoptera hicheuovii and aunulosa). 

 By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S., etc. 



These two beautiful finches are mostly advertised and 

 sold indiscriminately as Bicheno's. In the writer's opinion 

 much ]:)etter popular names for them would be White-rumped 

 Bicheno's (S. bkhcnovii) and Black-rumped Bicheno's (S. on- 

 niilosa), if aviculturists would agree to generally adopt them, if 

 not, a mere multiplicity of names would simply add to the con- 

 fusion. The white and black rumps are practically the only dif- 

 ference in the plumage of the two species. 



The plumage patterns of the two species are clearly shewn 

 in Mrs. Cook's beautiful drawing (Mrs. Cook again has helped 

 the Club in this year of stress, by doing it gratis, and we tender 

 her sincere thanks. — Ed.) and very little plumatic description 

 will be required. 



The general characteristics of the two species are also 

 similar, and need not be given separately. 



Description — ^. hichcnozni — Upper plumage lightish 

 brown; a black band crosses the rumj), upper tail-coverts white; 

 tail black; greater wing-coverts and flights dark blackish-brown, 

 thickly spotted with white; forehead dark blackish-brown, 

 which is continued as a border to the sides of crown, hind face, 

 and across the lower throat; a second band of similar colour 

 crosses the breast from shoulder to shoulder; cheeks and throat 

 white ; remainder of lower plumage buffish-white; under tail- 

 coverts black; beak and feet dark bluish-grey; iris black. 



