Finches. 205 



always have a thick warm covering over their cage. 

 In the winter too, and during moulting, they need a 

 great deal of warmth : a conservatory moderately 

 heated and kept pretty much at the same temperature 

 would be the best abode for them. In an ordinary 

 drawing-room the covering should never be taken off 

 the cage, on a cold morning, till the room is thoroughly 

 warmed. 



Some Australian Waxbills have been lately im- 

 ported into England : the common one, Estrelda or 

 &gintha temporalis, is in size between the St. Helena 

 and common African Waxbill : it is greenish-brown 

 on the head and back, and has bright red tail-coverts, 

 as well as the red streak over the eyes. The RED- 

 TAILED FINCH (E.QrAZ.ntficauda) has a reddish-brown 

 tail, and is marked with white spots on the breast and 

 sides of the body, and on the upper tail-coverts. Both 

 these birds are said to be delicate, and so is the 

 AUSTRALIAN FIRE FINCH or CRIMSON FINCH (E. or 

 ^E. ph&ton), but rarely kept as a cage bird ; but there 

 are two other Australian Estreldce still more recently 

 brought to this country, which are hardier. These are 

 the DOUBLE-BANDED GRASS FINCH (E. or &. Biche- 

 novi), a very pretty bird : the head and upper part of the 

 body are greenish-grey, the wings black, barred with 

 white, resembling latticework ; the tail is black, with 

 a white patch above it, and it has a white face and 

 breast, with a black band round the throat, and another 



