BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 9 1 



PHONIPARA DICOLOR. {Linn.) 

 Black-faced Finch. 



Local Names. — Paroquet and Banana Bird. 



Winter Plumage, Male. — Above, olive-green, shading into black 

 on the crown ; cheeks and under parts totally black in the adult, and 

 ranging from this to a black throat and greenish white belly in imma- 

 ture birds; wings and tail, color of the back; upper mandible, dark; 

 lower mandible, pale. 



Winter Plumage, Female. — Above, olive-green, lighter than the 

 male ; under parts, ashy, with a slight tinge of olive ; otherwise, like 

 the male. 



Length 4.30, wing 2.05, tail 1.85, tarsus .70, bill .1']. 



This little Finch is abundant everywhere, and is very domestic in 

 its habits. It seems to prefer living near the habitation of man, as it 

 becomes far less common in uninhabited districts. The males differ 

 greatly in jolumage, some of them having the entire under parts 

 black, while others have simply a black throat. I think the former 

 represents the full plumage of an adult bird. Their note is a short, 

 sharp " chip," uttered while perched or fluttering among the bushes. 

 Its food consists of insects, berries, and often fruit of varions kinds. 



This is the Passerculiis bicolor bahamensis of Catesby. 



