THE WIDOW FINCH. 



Vidua paradis.^a. Cuv. 



The present bird aifords a curious example of the 

 manner in which tolerably expressive names are some- 

 times given to animals by mere accident. Edwards, 

 the first modern writer by whom it was figured and 

 described, states that he was informed by a gentleman 

 lately arrived from Lisbon, that " the Portuguese call 

 this bird the Widow, from its colour and long train." 

 On this hint apparently Brisson constructed the French 

 name of Veuve and the Latin name of Vidua, which 

 have since been translated into all the languages of 

 Europe, and now serve in their various modifications to 

 designate this bird wherever it is known. The French 

 naturalist had however overlooked the fact that Ed- 

 wards had himself corrected his mistake, for such it 

 was, in the Additions given at the end of his w(Mk, in 

 the following terms. " In my description of this ])ird 



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