Finches. 187 



food, eagerly seizing a fly whenever one was offered 

 to him, and taking it readily from the hand. He had 

 no song, but a long-drawn call-note of "ah-yea? 



All the specimens of this bird which I have seen 

 have appeared somewhat dull and lazy, and given 

 to over-eating. One hen brought to me was obliged 

 to be taken away from her mate, because she was 

 always plucking him, and scarcely left any feathers 

 on his poor little body. When not engaged in this 

 cannibal-like amusement, she never stirred from the 

 seed-tin, and soon died in consequence. They are 

 not pleasant inhabitants of an aviary, as they will rob 

 the nests of the other birds, and behave very tyran- 

 nically to their neighbours. They require baskets to 

 sleep in at night, as they seem to suffer from cold, 

 They do not breed so readily in confinement as the 

 Zebra or Parson Finch, and rear very few young in the 

 year. 



This bird must not be confounded with the DIAMOND 

 BIRD of Australia (Pardalotiis pimctatus), which is a 

 smaller and more slender bird, allied to the American 

 Manikins, and bears its diamond spots on the crown 

 of the head and wings. 



The CORAL -NECKED or CUTTHROAT SPARROW 

 (Amadina or Spennestes fasciatd) is an African bird, 

 although it is sometimes called by bird-dealers the 

 " Indian Sparrow." Bechstein describes it under the 

 name of the " Banded Grosbeak," and Swainson calls 



