SHORT-TAILED CRIMSON WEAVER. 185 



finches are to be found alive in the possession of the 

 lovers of hirds in this country. We might surely 

 preserve, and even rear them much better than 

 the poor marchands des oiseaux of the dirty garrets 

 in Paris. 



This is one out of three, if not four distinct 

 species, confounded in our systems under the com- 

 mon name of grenadier-grosbeak, or the Loxia oryx 

 of the Linnaean ornithologists. 



The structure of the present species differs in 

 some respects from the last ; its bill is shaped more 

 like that of a Vidua, being somewhat lengthened ; 

 the culmen more curved than the gonyx, and the 

 commissure sinuated. This at once points out the 

 intimate connexion of these two genera ; while, by 

 the feet, wings, and tail, it is brought close to E. 

 Capensis. The black of the under parts commences 

 at the breast and terminates at the belly, leaving 

 the thighs and under tail-covers, which are equally 

 long with the upper, of the same rich scarlet. The 

 wings are brown, all the feathers being edged with 

 a lighter colour. The first quill is rather shorter 

 than the second and third ; the inner wing-covers 

 delicate light buff; and the legs very pale. Tail 

 brown, very short and almost even; the covers 

 reaching nearly to the tips. 



Total length, 4 ; bill nearly ; wings, 2 ; tar- 

 sus, T v 



