200 THE PAEADISE GEOSBEAK. 



very dark grey ; and only the rump feathers have broad yellow 

 margins, and light coloured tips. The cheeks are light grey ; 

 the under part of the body is pale sulphur colour ; the pen 

 feathers blackish. The hinder and larger wing coverts are 

 covered with very small white spots, and the tail feathers are 

 tipped with greyish white. 



The male varies in colour for many years before permanently 

 attaining the colours above described. In some individuals 

 the back is a reddish grey, and the lower part of the body 

 marked with black and yellow ; in others, the upper part of 

 the body is reddish grey, spotted with fiery red ; the belly 

 sulphur-coloured, with black bands, and more or less spotted. 



Observations. These birds are as social as the preceding; 

 and when twenty or thirty are kept in a large cage, they will 

 all sit on the same perch, and, what is singular enough, will 

 sing in regular succession. Their song, which lasts through- 

 out the year, very much resembles that of the Yellow Wren. 

 The female is mute. They are exceedingly active, and often 

 bow their bodies up and down, and spread out their tails like 

 a fan. Their natural food is millet and other grain; in con- 

 finement they may be fed on millet and canary seed. They 

 are to be kept in a small wire cage ; eat a great deal, and 

 drink still more. They live from six to ten years. If 

 paired with the Canary bird, the hybra produced would pro- 

 bably be of great beauty and value. 



75. THE PAEADISE GEOSBEAK. 



Lojfia Erythrocephala, LIN. Cardinal ff Angola, BUF. Der Parodies 

 Kembeisser, BECH. 



Description. This bird is almost six inches in length. The 

 beak and feet are flesh coloured : the head and chin red : the 

 back of the neck, back, rump, and wing coverts blueish ash 

 colour ; the upper tail coverts edged with grey. The lower 

 parts of the body are white, with brown and black spots on 

 the sides. The wing coverts are tipped with white, which 

 forms a double white stripe on the wings ; the pen feathers 

 and tail are dark ashen blue, tipped with grey. The male 

 and female are alike. 



Observations. The male sings throughout the year, but in 

 so weak a voice, as to be hardly audible above the slightest 

 noise. In England, the experiment of inducing them to breed 



