Finches. 207 



cage with them, without watching their proceedings. 

 Some of them are very quarrelsome, pugnacious little 

 things, and persecute birds twice their size. They have 

 strong conical beaks, unlike the American Manikins, 

 with which they should not be confounded. They eat 

 the same seeds and require the same treatment as the 

 Waxbills. The Bronze-headed Manikin is described 

 by Swainson under the name of "Bronze-headed 

 Bengaly " (Amadina or Spermestes cucullatd). It is the 

 smallest and prettiest species I have seen plumage 

 of a deep black-brown, with green and violet reflections 

 on the head, and on two patches on each side, one 

 on the shoulder-coverts, the other on the side of the 

 breast ; the lower part of the back, upper tail-coverts, 

 and sides of the body are crossed by brown lines on 

 a white ground ; the under part of the body is pure 

 white ; the tail black, short, and rounded ; the bill and 

 feet are also black. It seems to be easily acclimatized, 

 and will breed readily in a small breeding-cage or in an 

 aviary, and needs less warmth than most of the other 

 African birds. Four or five broods are sometimes 

 reared in the year; and they will generally eat the 

 egg food without difficulty. They are very lively, 

 active little birds, and very amusing to watch. The 

 Black Manikin (Amadina or Spermestes bicolor) is a 

 trifle larger : the whole of the upper part of the body, 

 the wings, and tail, are of a deep black, with a green 

 metallic lustre. The rest of the under parts of the 



