THK BLUISH FINCH. 91 



called the " Screaming Finch," and Mr. Hudson says of it " These 

 birds are always most abundant in plantations, preferring peach trees, 

 but do not associate in flocks : they are exceedingly swift and active, 

 overflowing with life and energy, their impetuous notes and motions 

 giving one the idea that they are always in a state of violent excitement. 

 The male has a loud startled chirp, also a song composed of eight or ten 

 notes, delivered with such vehemence and rapidity, that they run into 

 each other and sound more like a scream than a song. There is not a 

 more clever architect than this species ; and while many Syna/ taxes* are 

 laboriously endeavouring to show how stately a mansion of sticks a 

 little bird can erect for itself, the Screaming Finch has successfully 

 solved the problem of how to construct the most perfect nest for 

 lightness, strength, and symmetry with fewest materials. It is a small, 

 cup-shaped structure, suspended hammock-wise between two slender 

 upright branches, and to which it is securely attached by fine hairs and 

 webs. It is made of thin, pale-coloured, fibrous roots, ingeniously 

 woven together reddish or light-coloured horsehair being sometimes 

 substituted ; and so little material is used that, standing under the tree, 

 a person can easily count the eggs through the bottom of the nest. Its 

 apparent frailness is, however, its best protection from prying eyes of 

 birds and mammals that prey on the eggs and young of small birds ; 

 for it is difficult to detect this slight structure, through which the 

 sunshine and rain pass so freely. So light is the little basket- nest that 

 it may be placed on the open hand and blown away with the breath like 

 a straw ; yet so strong that a man can suspend his weight from it without 

 pulling it to pieces. The eggs are three in number, white and spotted 

 with black, sometimes bluish-brown spots are mingled with the black." 



Dr. Russ calls this the " Ornamented Grosbeak " in his synonymy, 

 and " Das Schniuckpfaffchen " (Little Spruce Parson) at the head of his 

 account. He applies the name " Bluish Finch " or " Little blue-grey 

 Parson," to the "Grey Grosbeak" of Latham (Sperniophila grisea). A 

 study of the entire synonymy of the two species, would probably reveal 

 an explanation of this confusion, for which I do not believe the great 

 German bird-keeper is responsible. 



He says that this bird is ' ' most copiously imported ; at times 

 common in the market. Song monotonous, chirping, yet not unpleasant. 

 Hitherto it has not been bred." 



The illustration of the male is taken from the skin of one of the 

 specimens imported by the author and from a living specimen sub- 

 sequently obtained. 



* The Spine-tails, a group of Insect-eating, somewhat Tit-like, birds. A.G.B. 



