52 BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



and musical voice* Unfortunately these qualities 

 have made it a favourite cage-bird, and the young 

 are diligently sought after in the forests in northern 

 Argentina and Paraguay and taken from the nest to 

 be reared by hand. In Buenos Ayres it is somewhat 

 rare and is a summer visitor in pairs and small 

 flocks. Its song is composed of four or five notes of 

 great power and of a sweet quality. 



LESSER DIUCA FINCH 



Diuca minor 



Clear grey ; head, neck, and back faintly washed with brown ; wings 

 blackish, the feathers edged with grey ; tail-feathers black, tipped with 

 white on the inner webs ; beneath white, the upper part of breast 

 grey ; a bright chestnut spot on the flanks ; length 6.5 inches. Female 

 similar but less bright. 



THIS pretty little grey and white Finch is common 

 on the Chilian side of the Andes and throughout 

 Patagonia, and also occurs in the Mendoza district, 

 It is a tuneful bird, lively, social, and frolicsome in 

 disposition ; in autumn and winter uniting in flocks 

 of from fifty to three or four hundred individuals ; 

 swift of flight, and when on the wing fond of pursuing 

 its fellows and engaging in mock battles. The song 

 of the male is very pleasing, the voice having more 

 depth and mellowness than is usual with the smaller 

 fringilline singers, which as a rule have thin, reedy, 

 and tremulous notes. In summer it begins singing 

 very early, even before the faintest indication of 



