158 FOREIGN FINCHES IN CAPTIVITY. 



freshly imported, both the Three-coloured and typical Parrot Finches 

 came into his hands in an extremely good state of health. His 

 specimens were obtained with difficulty, owing to their high price, 

 and after he had acquired seven specimens, to his annoyance, he 

 discovered that six of them were males; he subsequently secured a 

 second female through the kindness of a chemist, Mr. Nagel by name. 



Lieut. Hauth believes that, if one has both sexes of this species 

 before him, they may be distinguished without difficulty. The male 

 is somewhat larger and more brightly coloured; the red of the head 

 and breast more extended, and that of the lower back and croup more 

 brilliant. A specially fine male also has the red feathers of the lower 

 back drooping, as in a fowl, on each side. In a second pair, however, 

 he confesses that at first he was unable to distinguish the sexes by 

 their feathering until after their moult, when, in his jxidgment, the 

 hen appeared to be a little duller in all its colours and less glossy. 



He then goes on to repeat, that he considers the fact of the less 

 pronounced red of the lower back, and the non-dependent feathers in 

 the hen, a good distinctive character ; after which he gives a detailed 

 description of the plumage. 



The disposition of the species is said to be " very sprightly, 

 vivacious, entirely harmless and peaceable," both among themselves 

 and towards other foreigners. "It is possible that there may be 

 individual exceptions to this rule. The pair behave somewhat in- 

 differently towards each other, one never sees them preening one 

 another's feathers, and very rarely sitting cuddled up together. 



"Kven in the bird-room, where a pair and an unmated male are 

 flying about with other Amandines, they are placable and go quietly 

 about their business, only occasionally the two males fly against one 

 another, if the single one dares to make affectionate advances to the 

 female of the other; but in a short time the superficial dispute is 

 again set at rest. Nevertheless, I have now preferred to take away 

 the single male; as in the end, more serious disputes might occur, 

 and perhaps endanger the successful breeding of the pair; I believe 

 that several true pairs would behave very well together, with the 

 exception of the disagreements, which occur more or less between 

 birds which are nesting. 



They remain a good deal in the lower bushes, and at night seek 

 repose sitting apart, high up towards the ceiling, in the immediate 

 vicinity of the other pair of the same species, which is in the cage; 

 in the daytime, moreover, they pay frequent visits to the latter, and 

 exchange friendly communications. 



