THE MELODIOUS FINCH. 93 



THE MELODIOUS FINCH. 



Phonipara canora, BOXAP. 



THB Melodious Finch is a native of Cuba and belongs to a genus 

 which, according to Dr. Sharpe, contains four distinct species, 

 and two tolerably well-marked races. The Melodious Finch is the 

 type of the genus (that is to say the species upon which the genus 

 was originally erected.*) 



The adult cock bird above is of a yellowish green colour, the 

 back of the neck a little brighter ; the crown of the head slate-grey 

 in front, shading off into green at the back ; the base of the forehead, 

 lores, feathers round the eye, ear-coverts and cheeks black ; a golden 

 yellow eyebrow ; the primary coverts and flight feathers dusky, the 

 primaries yellow externally, the remainder yellowish green ; tail feathers 

 dusky, olivaceous yellow externally ; throat black ; sides of neck and a 

 collar across the lower part of the throat golden yellow ; under parts 

 slate-grey, paler on the breast and whitish on the abdomen ; under 

 tail-coverts yellowish white with the base of the feathers pale grey ; 

 under wing coverts yellowish white, the edge of the wing olivaceous 

 yellow ; quills below dusky with greyish white inner margins. Length 

 3 f % inches. 



The hen differs from the cock, in the absence of black colouring 

 from the face, throat and breast ; on the face and throat it is replaced 

 by chestnut brown ; the crown of the head greyish brown ; no yellow 

 collar across the throat. 



The nearly allied Olive Finch (P. lepida], which inhabits the 

 Greater Antilles, is thus distinguished by Dr. Sharpe. " A yellow 

 eyebrow as well as a loral spot and the chin ; lower throat black. 

 Black on the throat restricted to the fore neck, and never extending 

 on the face as far as the region below the eye. It seems necessary 

 to quote these distinctions, because both birds occur in Cuba and are 

 occasionally imported, though the Melodious Finch is best known. 



* When the describer of a new genus includes iu it several distinct species and does not 

 state which is the type, it is customary to follow the first subsequent author who does indicate 

 it. Therefore, if a genus is subsequently sub-divided, the typical species must still be left in 

 that sub-division which retains the original generic name. A.G.P,. 



