CAGE BIRDS 199 



credit for developing the three forms in which they occur : 

 dark brown and white, fawn and white and pure white. 

 Being entirely cage-bred, the Bengalees are eminently 

 happy under such conditions. The cock has a squeaky 

 song, which he delivers with ludicrous ostentation. Ben- 

 galees are easily bred in a cage. If a nest is provided, the 

 birds will generally sleep in it at night, instead of perch- 

 ing after the usual fashion. 



The Red-tailed Finch or Star Finch (Bathilda rufi- 

 cauda), like most other Australian species, is a very pretty 

 little bird. It is olive above, the tail dull red and the fore- 

 head, cheeks, chin and beak crimson. The under surface 

 is slightly paler and thickly spotted with white. The fe- 

 male is somewhat duller than her mate. The species lives 

 well, and is not difficult to breed in an aviary. 



The Grassfinches (Poephila) include three species, all 

 Australian, which are common in captivity here. The 

 Common Grassfinch or Parson Finch (P. cincta) is 

 brownish above, slightly paler below. The head is gray, 

 while the beak, tail, a band on the flanks and a large round 

 spot on the throat are black. The Long-tailed Grass- 

 finch (P. acuticauda) is similar, but has the middle tail 

 feathers lengthened and terminating in a pointed filament. 

 The beak in this species is yellow. The sexes in these two 

 forms are sometimes distinguishable by the size of the black 

 throat patch, which generally is larger in the male. The 

 Masked Grassfinch (P. personata) has the beak yellow, 

 as in the Long-tailed Grassfinch, but lacks the long fila- 

 ments of the tail. The head is brown like the back, and the 

 black about the head is restricted to the base of the beak. 

 These attractive little birds are easily kept, and seem al- 

 ways to be in good condition, their plumage having a soft, 

 silky appearance. They are not difficult to breed, but are 

 inclined to be quarrelsome. 



