128 BIRD-KEEPER'S MANUAL. 



parts, and breast, are of a fine bluish gray, the 

 belly a delicate grayish purple ; close to the tail 

 white. I never could discover any difference be- 

 tween the male and female, except in size ; the 

 female is rather smaller. 



LOCATION. Found on the Island of Java, and 

 throughout China Resident. 



BROAD-SHAFTED WHIDAH FINCH. 



This elegant bird is remarkable for the size and 

 beauty of the tail, the middle feathers of which, 

 (although the body of the bird is not much larger 

 than a Canary,) is twelve inches long. It is a 

 splendid bird in a cage, and carries its extremely 

 long tail gracefully, and manages it dexterously, 

 in hopping from perch to perch. It has a very 

 sweet and soft note, and keeps itself neat and 

 clean ; nor is it by any means a delicate bird, 

 although from the torrid zone, but stands our 

 climate very well, and is easily kept in a cage. 

 It moults twice in the year, when a change takes 

 place in its plumage, and it loses the long feathers 

 in the tail, which it does not regain for six months, 



