THR AFRICAN FIRE-FINCH. 115 



THE AFRICAN FIRE-FINCH. 



Lagonosticta minima, ViEiLL, 



AN inhabitant of West Africa from Senegambia to the Niger. The 

 general colour above rosy crimson, the back somewhat browner ; 

 the lower back and tipper tail-coverts bright crimson ; wing-coverts 

 brown edged with crimson ; flight feathers brown ; tail feathers black, 

 the onter webs washed with crimson ; entire head, throat and breast 

 rosy crimson, fading into yellowish brown on the abdomen ; some 

 small white spots on the sides of the breast ; remainder of under parts 

 brown, the under tail-coverts white at base ; flights below smoky 

 brown. Length 3 \ inches. Beak crimson, legs dark flesh-colour ; eye- 

 ring yellow ; iris brown. 



The female above is dark brown, with the lower back and upper 

 tail-coverts crimson ; a small crimson loral spot, otherwise the head is 

 brown ; under surface of body yellowish brown, clearer on the abdomen, 

 with white spots on the side of the breast ; wing brown, tail black. 

 Length 3! inches. 



Heuglin gives the following account of the habits of this species 

 which he calls " Zwergblutfink " or Pigmy Blood-Finch : 



" It usually assembles in little families, frequently mingled with 

 Steel-Finches, more especially in towns and villages. Like the House- 

 Sparrow, it does not seem to take kindly to straw huts, but we have 

 often noticed it in villages of tents. It is inactive till the moult into 

 the breeding-plumage in July and Augxist. Then every pair, (and 

 frequently several of them close together) forms its artistic little nest. 

 This is placed under rafters of roofs, in holes in walls, and in crevices 

 of window corbels : a great untidy heap of straw forms the foundation 

 for the little flattish depression of the nest, which is constructed of 

 horsehair, feathers, grasses, wool, &c. The number of the pure white 

 obtusely oval eggs, which from their transparency shows a rosy tinge, 

 varies from three to seven. 



" The Blood-Finches are loveable, bold little creatures, which con- 

 fidently invade the interior of stable, cooking or dwelling-rooms, in 



