172 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



he killed every one. The skin of the Zebra-Bicheno 

 hybrid is not very good, but as the sketch from life is 

 perfect, you will be able to make out the various 

 points of resemblance." 



This skin, as Mr. Abrahams implied, is decidedly im- 

 perfect, the ends of the wings, rump, tail and vent 

 having apparently been gnawed away by a mouse. The 

 coloured sketch, therefore, was absolutely necessary 

 tc- enable me to make either a complete drawing or 

 description of this very interesting bird. At the same 

 time I prepared my drawings almost entirely from 

 the skins, taking careful measurements to ensure (as 

 nearly as possible) accurate life-eize representations 

 of the originals. The coloured sketches, though only 

 of about half the natural size, and, being sketched 

 from living birds only, of course not scientifically cor- 

 rect in details, were very useful in indicating the 

 genera] distribution of pattern and colouring. 



The parentage of the Bioheno-Zebra Finch hybrid 

 is very palpable. Curiously, and yet naturally enough, its 

 general character partakes far more largely of the hardy 

 maternal than the far more delicate paternal stock. 



In its general form outline, though not colour, of 

 beak, the presence of a large, though not chestnut- 

 coloured, cheek patch, the barred breast, and white- 

 barred, though apparently much shorter, upper tail- 

 coverts this hybrid approaches the male Zebra Finch. 

 The beak appears to have been fleshy-white in colour, 

 therefore neither resembles the coral-red beak of 

 the Zebra Finch nor the pale silver-grey of Bicheno's 

 Finch, but a compromise between the two. 



On the other hand, the forehead and eyebrow streak 

 nearly resemble those of the father; but this streak, 

 instead of merely running (behind the ear-coverts, 

 round the sides of the neck, and across the back of the 

 throat, passes just behind the eye, where it expands 

 into the large cheek patch before noted, which extends 

 over the ear-coverts and unites with a crescentic belt 

 passing obliquely down the side of the throat. The 

 chin and throat are white, as in Bicheno's Finch ; but, 

 singularly enough, some of the feathers at the side 

 of the breast and those of the flanks show a sub- 

 terminal black bar, as also do the outer wing-coverts. 



BICHENO'S FINCHES. 



BICHENO + ZEBRA FINCH HYBRID. 



One very curious effect of the combination between 

 these two birds is the shifting downward of the barred 

 throat patch of the Zebra Finch. So as to till the area 

 enclosed between the two black bars of Bicheno's Finch, 

 the silver-grey tinting of the barred feathers is 

 retained. 



This remarkable hybrid was bred by Mr. R. Ellis, of 

 London, apparently about the year" 1888, since the 

 coloured sketch of it was made for Mr. Abrahams in 

 December of that year. Other examples of the same 

 hybrid have been bred by various aviculturists and 

 exhibited at the Crystal Palace and else- 

 where, so that I have had an opportunity 

 of proving that my sketch, although made 

 under adverse conditions, was tolerably 

 accurate. 



BICHENO'S FINCH (Stictoptera bichenovii). 



The male above is pale brown, the 

 feathers with slightly darker bars, rump 

 crossed by a. black belt ; upper tail-coverts 

 white, tail black, greater wing-coveits and 

 flights blackish, spotted with white ; fore- 

 head blackish, continuous with a black line 

 which borders the sides of the crown and 

 back of faice, continuing across the lower 

 part of the throat ; cneeks and throat 

 white, remainder of under surface huffish 

 white, a second black stripe crossing the 

 breast ; chest slightly greyish, especially 

 at the sides, which are i'aintly barred ; 

 under tail-coverts black ; beak and feet 

 bluish 'grey ; iris black. 



The female is a little smaller, more slim, 

 duller in colour, paler on the crown, and 

 has slightly narrower black bars across 

 throat and chest. 



Bicheno's Finch inhabits the interior, 

 the northern and the e'astern portions of 

 Australia. It is naturally tame and con- 

 fiding, and as it spends much of its time 



