^3 



•contaminated with the birds' excreta, the moisture 

 from which it has absorbed — it would be waste of 

 good space to enlarge upon this, and I hope my 

 readers will cease such an insanitary practice. 



The Lavender-backed Finch. 



14. .S". castaneiventris. PMg. 2 on ])late. 



An interesting and pretty species, with a sweet 

 little song, of which there are four at present on view 

 in the new Bird House* at the Zoo. I am not aware of 

 any having reached the hands of private aviculturists, 

 hut I am hoping in a few weeks to become the happy 

 possessor of some of the rare species figuring on the 

 coloured plate. So far opportunity has been given 

 only for studying this species in a cage, and amid the 

 uncongenial environment of the Parrot House ; but I 

 am of the opinion that this species would be simply 

 superb disporting themselves amid tlie greenery of an 

 outdoor aviary. Mr. Goodchild's fine drawing of this 

 figure is most characteristic of the species. 



Adult male : The general colour of the upper 

 surface is blue-grey, which is also the colour of the 

 lesser wing - coverts ; median and greater coverts, 

 black, tipped and edged with blue-grey ; bastard wing, 

 primaries, and flights, black, edged with blue-grey ; 

 the inner secondaries are broadly edged with ashen, 

 and the inner primaries with a small white spot at the 

 hase of the outer web ; upper tail-coverts, crown of the 

 head, ear-coverts, cheeks, and sides of the face, blue- 

 grey slightly washed with dusky ; tail feathers, black- 

 ish with gre}^ edgings. Lower surface : throat, breast, 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts, rudd}^ chestnut ; sides 



• Now called the Small Birds' House. 



