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THE WHIDAH BUNTING 



Ei'nber.'za ptradisea, LinN/EUS ; La Veuve k collier d'or, Buffon ; Der Paia> 

 diesammer, Bechstein. 



This beautiful and rare species is the size of a linnet. 

 Reckoning from the beak to the end of the side tail-feathers, 

 it is five inches and a half in length. The beak is lead- 

 coloured ; the iris chestnut ; the feet are flesh-coloured ; the 

 head, chin, front of the neck, back, wings, and tail are black ; 

 the back of the neck pale orange ; the breast, thighs, and upper 

 pai-t of the belly are white, the lower part is black ; the two 

 intermediate tail-feathers measure four inches, are very broad, 

 and terminate in a long filament ; the two that follow, above 

 three inches long, are very broad in the middle, narrower and 

 pointed at the end, from their shaft springs also a filament 

 more than an inch long ; the other side feathers are only two 

 inches and a half in length ; the two in the middle amongst the 

 longest a little diverging, and arched like a cock's, are glossy, 

 and more brilliant than the others. 



The female is entirely brown, almost black, and does not ac- 

 quire its proper plumage until the tliird year ; whilst young it 

 very much resembles the winter plumage of the male. 



This bird moults twice in the year. At the first, which 

 takes place in November, the male loses its long tail for six 

 months, its head is streaked with black and white, the rest of 

 its plumage is a mixture of black and red ; at the second, 

 which takes place late in the spring, it resumes its summer 

 dress, such as it has been described above, but the tail-feathers 

 do not attain their full length till July and drop in November. 



Observations. — This beautiful species comes from Angola, and other 

 parts of Africa, and is particularly common in the kingdom of Whidah, or 

 Juida, in Guinea, and hence it takes its name. Though it was formerly 

 brought in great numbers into Germany, it still costs there thirty or forty 

 rix dollars. These birds are very lively, and constantly in motion, always 

 waving their long tail up and down, often arranging their feathers and 

 amusing themselves with bathing. Their feeble song, though somewhat 

 melancholy, is however very agreeable. They may be preserved from 

 eight to twelve /jars if fed on canary seed, millet, barley meal, and the 

 like, not forgetting to add from time to time lettuce, endive, or other 

 green food. They must be given a large cage, to prevent their spoiling 

 their fine tail. 



