36 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



I have listened, I never heard the song echoed by the hen, no not 

 ever so faintly. At the same time I do not, for a moment, doubt 

 that Dr. Russ' hen echoed the song of her mate ; it is a common 

 thing to hear hens of the English Siskin singing the male song in a 

 lower key, although some hens have been in my possession for several 

 years without attempting to sing. 



I would, however, call attention to the fact that most hen Green 

 Singing Finches do not echo the so-called song of the cock-bird. 

 As regards the merit of the performance, I agree with Dr. Russ that 

 it cannot be compared with that of the St. Helena Seed-eater, of which 

 he says " er aber als Sanger doch viel werthvoller als der letztgenannte 

 ist" (as a singer however he is ever so much more meritorious 

 than the last mentioned). 



I have tried to indicate the song as heard during the breeding 

 season ; at other times it is more varied, the variations being less 

 melodious and indeed more nearly resembling, at times, the latter part 

 of the song of the Indigo Bunting, with a good deal of " cliichi-chec- 

 chce-cheo " about it : but, however, and whenever it is heard, the 

 performance is always short, rapid and shrill though not unmelodious. 



Illustrations from living specimens in the author's collection. 



.THE GREY SINGING FINCH. 



Serinus leucopygiits, SuNDEV. 



WITHOUT question the best performer among all Singing 

 Finches ; its melody is lively, vigorous, full of sweet notes 

 and deficient in all harsh or unpleasant ones. Compared with Serinus 

 leucopygius, the ordinary type of domesticated Canary is little better 

 than a discordant screamer : there is, in truth, as wide a difference 

 between the musical productions of these two Serins, as exists between 



