8 FOREIGN' FINCHES ix CAPTIVITY. 



golden yellow ; the top and sides of the head metallic grass-green ; 

 under surface torquoise blue, the throat purple ; the vent black ; under 

 wing-coverts turquoise blue ; remainder of wing below and of tail 

 blackish. Length 4^ inches. Bill black, legs dark brown. The sexes 

 are alike. 



Whereas, even in the largest collection of skins, the Superb Tanager 

 is esteemed a rare bird, the present species on the other hand is admitted 

 to be decidedly common. Both species are kept as cage-birds in South 

 America, and can therefore be purchased from the natives. It would 

 consequently be remarkable if the former were the only one sent alive 

 to Europe. Mr. Abrahams, however, writes that, to the best of his 

 belief, it is the only one that has passed through his hands.* Ca/listc 

 festiva, received by the Zoological Gardens, of London, in 1875, probably 

 reached them from some other source. 



The Paradise Tanager is said to have no song, only a call-note ; to 

 be extremely common, and not timid, excepting in the pairing season, 

 when most Tanagers fly in small parties from one fruit-tree to another, 

 showing a special preference for oranges, and approaching close to 

 dwellings in order to feed on these, or other favourite fruits. It lives 

 in communities, and mostly frequents the higher trees. On account of 

 its great beauty, it is a favourite cage-bird with the natives. The Yeni 

 Tanager, (Calliste yenij , a near ally of C. tatao, might perhaps be con- 

 founded with C. fastuosa : it, however, inhabits Bolivia, Peru, the Upper 

 Amazons, and E. Ecuador, so is far less likely to be imported than the 

 four others. It differs from C. tatao in having the whole of the lower 

 back scarlet. 



Bartlett mentions this species on the Upper Amazons as " Found 

 in small flocks at certain seasons, when the fruit is ripe." 



Dr. Russ calls C. tatao the " Seven-coloured Tanager," and says it 

 is very rare ; even rarer than the Superb Tanager, which he calls the 

 " Many-coloured." Of course he means that it is much more rarely 

 imported, for in South America it is immeasurably more abundant, and 

 consequently is likely to become, eventually, far less rare in the market 

 than Calliste fastuosa : occurring commonly at Cayenne, it should be 

 pr curable at Para, and if not already obtainable there, doubtless soon 

 would be, if the natives were aware that they could do a good trade 

 with it. Why the French do not import it wholesale from Cayenne 

 seems a mystery. In Dr. Russ' larger work no additional information 

 is given ; therefore we may safely conclude that it is one of the rarely- 



* In the Gefiederte Welt, for February, 1891, this species is said to have been exhibited 

 by Mr. Boss, at the sixth "Oruis" exhibition. 



