THE


Avicultural Magazine


BEING THE JOURNAL OF

THE AVICULTURAL SOCIETY

FOR THE STUDY OF

FOREIGN & BRITISH BIRDS

IN FREEDOM & CAPTIVITY



Third Series. —Vol. XI.—No. 11.— All rights reserved. NOVEMBER, 1920.



THE PECTORAL. TANAGER


Bv Sidney Porter


Some time ago, seeing some Yellow-shouldered Tanagers advertised

at a very reasonable price, I wrote for them, but found that they had

already found a home, whether on this earth or the next I know not,

but the dealer wrote saying that he had forwarded me some Violet

Tanagers instead. I was not a little disgusted, for I did not want such

common birds as Euphonia violaceci.


In due course a tiny cage arrived, and the contents were examined,

but they were certainly not Violet Tanagers. It was only after searching

through quite a number of ornithological works that I came to the con¬

clusion that the birds were Pectoral Tanagers (Euphonia pectoralis).

These little birds inhabit the south-east parts of Brazil. The male may

be described as of the same glossy dark purple as its near relative, the

Violet Tanager. There is a patch of yellow down each side of the breast,

the abdomen is dark chestnut, the bill black and shiny, the legs dark

leaden-grey. The eyes are full, black, beadlike, and prominent.

The hen has the head, nape, throat, and upper part of the breast slate

grey, a broad stripe of the same colour runs from the upper part of

the breast to the vent, and in some lights the head has a beautiful

bluish sheen. The sides are bright olive yellow, the upper parts dark



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