338 Mr. W. A. Forbes on Eleven Weeks 



~ 38. Chrysomitris yarrelli. 



Of this pretty little bird I obtained a living specimen at 

 Parahyba^ which is now alive in the Zoological Gardens. I 

 subsequently saw one near Garanhuns, and a pair near some 

 forest close to Quipapa. The Brazilian name was, I under- 

 stood, " Pinta Silva '' (?Pintasilgo = Goldfinch). 



39. Sycalis flaveola. 



The " Brazilian Canary '' is a very abundant bird in the 

 parts of Brazil visited by me, being found from the coast, at 

 Parahyba and Recife, to the interior. Large flocks of it, 

 sometimes containing one or two hundred individuals, may 

 be seen in suitable localities, which are usually the more or 

 less cleared grounds in the neighbourhood of engenhos, or 

 sugar-farms. In these places it frequently consorts with 

 numbers of the little green Tapacii Parrakeets {Psittacula 

 passerina) . A specimen which I shot near Cabo " towered " 

 in the air, as wounded Partridges and other birds often do, to 

 a height of fifty or sixty feet or more, and then dropped down 

 dead ; on examination I found it had been shot through the 

 brain. 



The " Canario^^ is a very common cage-bird with the Bra- 

 zilians, nearly every house having one or more pairs. 



40. Cassicus persicus. 



This is one of the commonest and most characteristic birds 

 of the country near the coast, where it is very abundant, and 

 may be seen commonly, even in the neighbourhood of Recife, 

 nearly anywhere where cocoa-palms grow. It usually goes 

 about in small parties of about four or five, which keep up, 

 when perched, a continuous chattering, often leading to their 

 discovery before being seen themselves. Towards evening 

 they seem to collect in larger parties, as at that time numbers 

 might often be seen returning homewards, always flying in 

 the same direction, and usually making for a clump of palms, 

 on which, no doubt, to pass the night. In the interior it 

 is much less common, and I often went several days without 

 seeing one. The Brazilians call it '^Sheshou,^' and keep it 

 often in cages. 



Irides deepish blue. 



