ST. HELENA WAXBILL. AVADAVAT. 



" These musicians excel in their wonderful art : 



They have compass of voice, and the gamut by heart." 



THE AVADAVAT. This little well-known beauty 

 comes to us in great numbers. They are natives of 

 China, Asia, Africa, and India. Their plumage is 

 beautiful ; and, unlike most other birds, they change 

 plumage yearly until the third year. At this time, 

 the head and under part of the body are a fiery red 

 tinged with black, the back brown, tail black, wings 

 a reddish brown ; all the feathers are tipped with 

 white, giving the bird the appearance of being 

 speckled with white spots ; beak red, the upper 

 mandible on the top being almost black. 



" A little bird sang on the tree ; 

 His song was joyous, glad, and gay." 



THE GRAY-BLUE FINCH. This bird has a song 

 that seems a mixture of the canaries' and bobo- 

 (109) 



