Finches. 1 8 1 



called by dealers the " Parson Finch," has a soft grey 

 head, and a velvet-like black gorget, widening on the 

 chest ; a black line runs from the eye to the bill, which 

 is almost black. The whole of the upper part of the 

 body is of a rich chestnut-brown, shading into a darker 

 and greyer brown on the wings ; the lower part of the 

 body from the gorget to the red legs is of the same 

 chestnut hue ; a black band passes from the thighs 

 across the back, which is hidden when the wings are 

 closed ; the upper and under tail-coverts are white, the 

 tail is black. The cock and hen are alike. The former 

 has a very odd pretence at a song : three long-drawn 

 notes and two short ones. A pair of these birds which 

 I had for some time, carried millet-stalks and cotton 

 wool into a little covered nest-box, and the hen laid 

 five white eggs late in November, but never sat on 

 them. I believe it is now ascertained that they breed 

 easily in confinement ; but the pairs are best kept in 

 separate cages : in an aviary they will disturb the nests 

 of the other birds. They build nests much like those 

 of the Zebra Finch, and would require similar treatment. 

 The BRISBANE, ZEBRA, or CHESTNUT -EARED 

 FINCH (Amadina or Spermestes castanotis] is a lovely 

 bird about the size of the largest of the Waxbills, the 

 St. Helena Waxbill. It has a large beak, like that 

 of a small Grosbeak, of bright vermilion ; the top of 

 the head and back are grey, shading into brown on 

 the wings ; the tail is blackish-brown, with the upper 



