104 FINCHES. 



mond sparrow, or " spotted-sided finch," is also a 

 native of Australia. It is a short, stout bird, some- 

 what larger than the St. Helena waxbill. The under 

 part of the body is white, and the sides under the 

 wings quite black, with oblong white spots ; the 

 lower part of the back and upper tail-feathers are of 

 a deep carmine. They have the utmost desire to 

 catch flies, and, if allowed the liberty of a room, 

 will rush to the window, and remain by the hour 

 catching them. They can be made remarkably tame, 

 and can be trusted without their cage to a consider- 

 able extent. Their song is limited. The cut-throat 

 sparrow, sometimes called " Indian sparrow," or 

 " fascinated finch," is about half the size of an Eng- 

 lish sparrow. It is of a delicate grayish-fawn color, 

 spangled with white spots. They have a soft, deli- 

 cate twitter, which can scarcely be called a song. 

 The " little doctor " is from the South- American ports. 

 The plumage of the male is of a beautiful shade of 

 bluish-black, with an occasional white spot. They 

 have a habit of sitting in the middle of their perch, 

 and holding up one foot, singing to each other for 

 hours. They can easily be tamed. There are 

 numerous other varieties, including the magpie 

 finch, celestial, negro, nuns, both black and white 

 capped, &c., &c. These birds can be kept in 

 one cage, and indeed they are miserable without 

 companions ; and, if two birds of different species 

 lose their respective mates, they are almost sure to 

 console themselves and to consort together. They 

 should be fed upon millet-seed, and given a bath 



