n8 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



first pair in my bird-room daily slipped, with incredible boldness, over 

 our heads as we opened the door into the dwelling-room, in order to 

 seek here for some required building material or worms and other 

 things from the numerous flower-pots. But still, more marvellous was 

 it that these birds again returned through the door which, unlike the 

 other, was only opened a little way. I have only been able to 

 discover this trait in a few species besides these, such as Little Gold- 

 breasts and Grey Astrilds, whereas others, though in all else very 

 cunning birds, as for example the Little- Magpies (probably Bronze 

 Mannikins), if they have flown off into another room, although with 

 the door much more widely opened, can by no means easily find their 

 way back." 



Illustration from skin in the Natural History Museum. 



THE LAVENDER-FINCH. 



Lagonostida c&rulescens, VlElLL. 



A COMMON, but extremely beautiful West African Waxbill, simple 

 and chaste in colouring. Above it is pearl grey, with the lower 

 back and upper tail-coverts bright crimson lake ; the two centre tail 

 feathers dull crimson, excepting at the edges, which are brighter, 

 shafts black ; remaining tail feathers black, dull crimson externally ; 

 flight feathers smoky-brown, with greyer outer webs; a black streak 

 from the base of the beak through the eye almost to the ear ; cheeks, 

 chin and throat pale pearl . grey, gradually deepening in tint back- 

 wards, until on the abdomen it becomes sooty-grey, relieved on the 

 flanks by a few pure white transversely elliptical spots. The male 

 blackish from the thighs to the vent, according to Mr. Abrahams.* 

 Under tail-coverts bright crimson ; under wing-coverts whitish grey ; 



* Mr. Abrahams also sent me coloured sketches to illustrate the difference in the sexes: the 

 cock bird with the thighs and abdomen almost black ; the hen with the same parts sooty- j 

 not approaching black; my description is taken from a hen example. A.G.B. 



