144 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



White-throated Finch (Spermophila alhigularis). 



The uppei- surface of the male is mostly grey ; the 

 crown an<i sides of liead are very dark grey ; the fore- 

 head ajwl lores entiivly black, and tJie remainder 

 mottled with black ; under surface and a broad collar 

 white ; a black belt acrass the chest ; Hanks fj'^^y ; 

 first primary quills "with white bases, forming an oblong 

 spot when the wings are closed ; beak ochre-yellow ; 

 feet grey ; iris black. 



The female is greyish-brown, with blackish centres 

 to the flight and tail feathers, and with the first 

 primaries white at the base, forming an oblong spot 

 when the wings are closed ; under surface white with 

 a greyish-brown belt across the breast ; beak black ; 

 feet greyish-bru wn ; iris black. Hab., Brazil. 



Dr. Emil A. Goeldi. in his article on a visit to South 

 Guyana {The Jhis, 1897, p. 162), remarks:— "On the 

 assahy-palms, banana-trees, and siriiibas along the 

 river sat S/iermoi//iita albifjularis, emitting its melodious 

 ^-/t-/f." 



This is all that I can find published respecting the 

 wiM life, but in my birdroom this .species constructed, 

 of fine tough fibre, a most delicate, firmly-woven, fairy- 

 like, shallow, cup-shaped nest ; or rather I should say 

 that it constructed several in succesaion, but did not 

 lay in ajiy of them. The species is said to have been 

 bred in Germany, thaugh Dr. Russ omits to describe the 

 eggs, but says that incuba.tion lasts twelve days. 



In 1905 the Rev. C. D. Farrar fortunately succeeded 

 in breeding the species, and has described his experi- 

 ences in The Avicultural Magazine, N.s., Vol. III., 

 pp. 358-362 ; his nest was made in the usual manner, but 

 of fibrous roots, and lined with human hair ; it was 

 placed high up in a bush and took three days to 

 complete, ajid apparently two eggs were laid, hatched 

 and reared. Mr. Farrar describes them as large for 

 the size of the bird, and much like those of the common 

 Sparrow; but as I have previously observed, this, to 

 anyone familiar with the extreme variability of the 

 eggs of our domestic friend, is no description at all. 

 Mr. Farrar's account of the song of this bird is quite 

 incorrect ; his cock bird must have been deficient in 

 vocal power. I have a very old male at tlie present 

 time (1908) which sings all through the summer, year 

 after year ; I must have had it for nine or ten years ; 

 to my mind the song is decidedly superior to that of 

 the European Goldfinch. 



Altliough pretty in colouring, cheap, enduring, with a 

 sweet little song, this bird is an inveterate bully, 

 especially towards males of his own species or of the 

 nearly related Bluish Finch. 



I would strongly caution all bird-lovers not to 

 attempt to keep more than one pair of this Finch in 

 any aviarj', and if they could devote a good-.sized flight 

 cage to a pair it would be safer for any other small 

 birds which they may have. As a rule, the White- 

 throated Finch confines his murderous attacks to 

 members of his own species, but 1 had one notable 

 exception whose evil deeds brought him to a bad end, a 

 Weaver having killed him. 



Half-white Finch {Spermophila hypolenca). 



Above dull slate-grey, the mantle with indistinct 

 dusky mottling : wings (with the exception of the 

 lower coverts, the upper tail-coverts and tail feathers 

 blackish, with ashy margins ; a small white speculum 

 at base of primaries; hind-crown and nape mottled like 

 the mantle, but more distinctly ; sides of head, except- 

 ing the cheekK. ashy grey ; the latter and the under 

 surface of body white, but the lower thniit, sides and 

 flanks and back of thighs grey; flights below dusky, with 

 the inner webs white at base, otherwise ashy ; beak 



fleshy red ; feet greyish-brown, irides brown. Female 

 olive-brownish instead of slate-grey ; wing and tail 

 feathers of a deeper brown, edged with olive-grey ; 

 under parts paler and yellower ; middle of abdomen 

 and under tail-coverts white ; beak reddish-yellowish 

 grev : feet pale-greyish flesh-coloured. Hab., Brazil 



liurmeister says (" Syst. Ueb.." III., p. 242): — 

 " Abundant on the Campos region of the interior of 

 Brazil, in small companies, much kept in cages on 

 account of its pleasing voice. The Mineiros call the bird 

 Iliro vermelho." 



Mt. W. a. Forbes (Tlie Ibis, 1881, p. 336) says: — 

 "This species of Spermophila is also common and 

 widely distributed, frequenting grassy or 0]ien places, 

 and often coming into gardens. It apjiears to feed 

 mainly on grass seeds, and is social in its habits. The 

 f eniiijes are brown. Called by the Brazilians ' Papa 

 Capim ' — i.e.., grass-eater. This name it shares with 

 <S'. f/ulluralis." 



Dr. Russ speaks of this sjiccies as very rare in the 

 trade. A few specimens were imported by the dealer 

 Gudera ; the late Mr. Wiener also had a epeclmen in 

 his bird room, and the london Zoological Society eince 

 1875. 



Grey Grosbeak {Spennnphiln grisea). 



Above dark slate-grey, elichtly brownish on upper 

 tail-coverts ; wings, excepting the lesser coverts, 

 blackish, edged with grey; a email white speculum at 

 base of primaries ; tail blackish, edged with grey, and 

 the centre feathers washed with the same ; head dark 

 slate-grey, with the lores and base of cheeks blackish ; 

 body from throat backwards white below, with the 

 sides, flanks and thighs dark slate-grey ; flights below 

 dusky, ashy along inner web, excepting at base, where 

 it is white ; beak reddish horn-white ; feet horn-grey ; 

 irides brown. Female pale olive-brown ; wings and 

 tail dusky brown ; primaries with ashy edges, the 

 other feathers edged with olive-brown ; crown of head 

 darker than back ; sides of head and under parts 

 yellowish-olive, paler on ear-coverts, cheeks and under 

 surface of body ; whitish at centre of breast and 

 abdomen, thighs and under tail-coverts ; under wing- 

 coverts and axillaries white, with a slight yellow tinge; 

 flights below dusky, with ashy cdees to inner webs : 

 beak black. Hab., "Guiana to Venezuela, Trinidad 

 and Colombia, extending to Panama" (Sharpe). 



I hpve found no no*es on the wild life of this little 

 bird, but Dr. Russ (Handbook, pp. 131, 132) says that 

 a pair in his bird-room nested with excellent results. 

 The nest was large and flat, formed in a little basket 

 suspended in a bush, of fibres, st.iilks, and cotton-wool, 

 not artistic. The clutch consisted of three eggs, pale 

 bluish-green, dotted and Knotted with brown. Incuba 

 tion lasted twelve days. Nestling down scanty, white ; 

 young plumage like that of the adult female, but more 

 greyish-srreen. It nested several times with Dr. Yant- 

 zen. of Hamburg. Harmless, confiding, and a pleasing 

 songster. Song resembling that of the Wood-lark. 



Plumbeous Finch (Spermophila plumbea). 

 A.shy grey, slightly paler on the rump ; wing, except- 

 ing lesser coverts, upper tail-coverts, and tail-feathers, 

 blackish, edged with ,ashy. whiter on edges of pri- 

 maries ; browner on edges of tail-feathers ; lores black : 

 ear coverts and cheeks dark a.shy. the former with 

 whitish shaft-lines, the latter with a small white streak 

 at base; lower eyelid white; thighs white in front; 

 centre of abdomen, under tail-coverts, under winp- 

 coverts. and axillaries white : a blackish patch near 

 edge of wing; flights below dusky, with ashy edge to 

 inner web, becoming white towards base ; beak 

 blackish ; feet dark brownish-grey ; irides lark brown. 



