THE DOMINICAN BANTING. 229 



divergent, like the tail of a cock, wavy, and more glossy than 

 the rest. 



The female is dark brown, or nearly black, but does not at- 

 tain her full plumage till the third year. When young, she 

 resembles the male in his winter attire. 



These birds moult twice a year, and the male is without hi& 

 long tail-feathers for six months. The first moulting, when he 

 loses them, is in November. He then assumes his winter 

 plumage, of mixed black and red ; the head being striped with 

 black and white. The second moulting takes place late in the 

 spring, but the tail-feathers are rarely perfect before June. 



Observations. These beautiful birds come from Angola, and 

 other parts of Africa ; they are lively, almost constantly in 

 motion, and take great delight in bathing, and trimming their 

 feathers. Their song is rather melancholy, and not loud, yet 

 on the whole agreeable. They live from six to twelve years ; 

 and become fond of canary-seed, millet, and barley-meal, though 

 occasionally requiring green food. They must be kept in a 

 large cage, or the long tail will be rubbed off. 



99. THE DOMINICAN BUNTING. 



Emberiza Serena, LIN. La Veuve Dominicaine, BUF. Der Domini Kaner- 

 ammer, BECH. 



Description. This species is smaller than the foregoing, 

 being only six inches and three quarters in length. The beak 

 is red ; the feet grey ; the upper part of the head black, with 

 the exception of the poll, which is orange white, and is con- 

 nected with a similar colour on the whole lower part of the 

 body. The feathers on the nape of the neck and back are black, 

 edged with dusky white. The under wing coverts are white, 

 which causes the wings, when folded, to appear entirely of 

 that colour, though the rest of them is black. The pen feathers 

 are edged with white. The tail is black, having the two 

 centre feathers pointed at the end, and more than two inches 

 Jonger than the others, which gradually decrease in lengtn 

 towards the sides. Those next to the centre pair are tipped 

 with white ; and the two exterior feathers are white on the 

 inner plume, and on the outer light orange. 



The female is entirely brown, and the tail feathers are of 

 equal length. Like the preceding species, this bird moults 



