YELLOW-BELLIED GROSBEAK. 109 



extends to the eyes : the whole plumage is blue, except the 

 greater wing coverts, the pen-feathers, and the central tail 

 feathers, which are dark brown. 



The female is entirely brown, with a slight mixture of blue. 



OBSERVATIONS. I have had an opportunity of observing this bird among 

 the collection belonging to his Royal Highness the Duke of Saxe Mei- 

 ningen, where it is fed on canary seed. It calls little, and its song is weak, 

 but its plumage is beautiful. It is found in several parts of America, in 

 Brazil, Cayenne, and even in Carolina. 



YELLOW-BELLIED GROSBEAK. 



Loxia flaviventris, LINNJEUS ; L,e Grosbec jaune du Cap de Bonne Espgrance, 

 BRISSON ; Der gelbafterige Kernbeisser, BECHSTEIN. 



I AM not sure that this bird, which I have also seen amongst 

 those of his Royal Highness the Duke of Saxe Meiningen, is 

 the true Loxia flaviventris of Linnaeus. It is of the size of the 

 common chaffinch, and five inches long. The beak, which is 

 moderately strong, very much resembles that of the chaffinch, 

 and is of a horn brown. The feet are a dull brown. The head 

 and neck are of a dull pale blue ; the upper part of the body 

 olive, the whole of the under part is a fine bright orange. 



The Yellow Grosbeak of the Cape of Good Hope is thus de- 

 scribed : the head, upper part of the neck, and back are olive, 

 with stripes of brown ; the rump olive. The under part of the 

 body deep yellow ; on each side of the head is a yellow band 

 which passes above the eyes ; the wings and tail feathers are 

 brown, edged with olive. 



The female only differs in the colours being less vivid. 



VARIETY. The top of the head, the upper part of the body, 

 and the breast are olive ; the back of the neck, even to the 

 throat, is ash-coloured ; the belly yellow, but between the legs 

 white. The wings are black, bordered with orange ; the tail 

 feathers dark green, but they are bordered with yellow, and 

 are black up the middle. 



OBSERVATIONS. This bird has been sold as the female of the preceding, 

 and placed in the same cage. It lived very sociably ; but I should suspect 

 it rather of being the female of that under notice. It is a native of the 

 Cape of Good Hope. 



