Finches. 197 



Waxbills, and the under mandible is black at the top ; 

 a deep orange stripe passes through and above the 

 eye ; the under part of the body from the chin to the 

 tail-coverts is straw-coloured, and there are transverse 

 bars of the same colour across the brown feathers of 

 the sides, breast, and body. This colour deepens into 

 orange in the middle of the breast, and is continued 

 nearly to the tail; the upper tail-coverts are also of a 

 deep orange shade. The hen differs from the cock in 

 being paler throughout the lower part of the body, 

 which is straw - coloured, only orange under the tail, 

 and with upper tail -coverts slightly tipped with the 

 same colour; she has no zebra markings on the sides. 

 These four Waxbills are the commonest species 

 imported into England, but there are many varieties 

 found in Africa and in other tropical regions. I think 

 the prettiest I have ever seen is one which I had for 

 some time in my possession, called the Grey-blue or 

 Cinereous Waxbill (Estrelda or dEgintha ccerulescens), 

 and by dealers the Lavender Finch. So many die on 

 their first arrival into England, that they are not very 

 often imported now, on account of their great delicacy. 

 They are of a delicate slate - coloured hue over the 

 whole body, excepting the lower part of the back, 

 upper and under tail-coverts, and tail, which are rich 

 crimson ; the quills are light brown, and the under 

 part of the tail is black. The stripe through the eyes 

 is black, and the beak is nearly so. The slate-colour 



