The Finch Family. 31 



of by itself namely, the Cardinal family, which are 

 included among the Finches by many writers, but are 

 certainly quite distinct. 



THE OLIVE FINCH, Phonipara olivacea, and THE 

 MELODIOUS FINCH, Phonipara canora, may be bracketed 

 together, as they differ mainly in size : the former in- 

 habits Jamaica and the latter the larger island of 

 Cuba. The Olive Finch is the bigger of the two birds, 

 but the Melodious Finch has a sweeter note, and is 

 also more amiable in a mixed aviary. It is about the 

 size of a redpoll, the Olive Finch being a little 

 larger. The colour in both is olivaceous-green and 

 yellow, but the Melodious Finch has a brighter-tinted 

 forehead. Both species make an open nest in a bush, 

 and lay from three to five eggs of a bluish-white 

 colour, speckled with blackish-brown. Their food in 

 confinement should consist of millet (spray), white 

 sorghum, and canary-seed. 



THE DlUCA FINCH, Diuca grisea, is an unpre- 

 tending-looking little grey bird, about the size of a 

 linnet, darker above and lighter on the under-surface 

 of the body. It is a native of Chili, and breeds freely 

 in confinement, both in cage and aviary. It has a 

 pretty little song, and is quite hardy. Treatment the 

 same as that of the two preceding species. 



THE BLACK BULLFINCH, Melopyrrha nigra, is 

 stated in the Zoological Society's List to come from 

 Cuba ; but it is also a -native of Brazil, whence the 

 specimen in my possession was brought over by the 

 gentleman who presented it to me. It is the size of 

 a Bullfinch, with a large thick bill of a leaden-blue 

 colour. The whole plumage, with the exception of a 



