THE BANDED GEOSBEAK. 205 



Observations. This bird, which is a native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope, is said by birdsellers to be the female of the Blue 

 Grosbeak, and certainly agrees very well with it, when kept 

 in the same cage. It may possibly, also, be the female of the 

 bird described in the note.* 



83. THE GOWEY GROSBEAK. 



Loxia Punctularia, LIN. Grosbec tachete de Java, BUF. Der Getupfelte 

 Kernbeisser, BECH. 



Description. The Gowry Grosbeak is four inches and a 

 quarter in length, and about the size of a Linnet. The beak 

 and feet are black ; the whole upper part of the body, and the 

 lower part as far as the breast, are light chestnut brown. On 

 the cheek is a purple spot, which, however, is not visible in 

 young birds, or such as have just moulted. The belly and 

 sides are white, but all the feathers are bordered with black, in 

 the form of a heart. The lower part of the belly and vent 

 are reddish white ; the rump feathers edged with grey. The 

 tail is short and wedge-shaped, and is dark brown like the 

 wings, but mottled and edged with the same colour on the 

 upper part of the body. 



In the female the red spot upon the cheek is wanting ; the 

 beak and feet are dark brown ; the back reddish brown ; the 

 sides white, spotted with dark brown ; the vent whitish. 



Observations. These birds are natives of the Island of Java. 

 They may be kept in a cage, and fed on canary seed. Their 

 weak and twittering song resembles that of the Siskin. 



84. THE BANDED GEOSBEAK. 



Loxia Fasciata, LIN. Collerette, BUF. Der gebanderte Kernbeisser, BBCH. 

 Description. This bird, which is about the size of the pre- 



* Le Grosbec Jaune du Cap de bonne Esperance is thus described : The 

 head, back of the neck, and back, are olive green, striped with brown ; the 

 rump olive green ; the lower part of the body dark yellow. From each 

 side of the head a yellow stripe passes over the eyes ; and the pen feathers 

 and tail are brown, edged with olive green. The female is only dis- 

 tinguished by the comparative dullness of the colours. A variety has the 

 top of the head, breast, and upper part of the body olive green : the back 

 of the neck to the throat, ash colour ; the belly and vent yellow ; the 

 part between the legs white ; the tail feathers black, edged with yellow ; 

 the tail dark green, having the shafts of the feathers black, and their ex- 

 ternal plume yellow. 



