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They have had this species at the London Zoological

Gardens, and Mr. Swaysland, of Brighton, was recently the

happy possessor of two—both of them, I think, young males,

although he believed them to be a pair.


The Yellow-bellied Grosbeak seems to be of a very

peaceable disposition and differs greatly in this respect from

the Hawfinches. He is reported to be a good songster, but the

only information which I can obtain on this point is very vague :

should this report be correct the species may come into favour,

but Pheucticus chrysogaster will certainly never be prized for his

beauty. He appears to be a tame bird, and readily makes

himself at home.


He is a native of South America.


The Dark-beue Grosbeak (Guiraca cyaneaj.


This handsome bird reminds one of the allied genus

Spe?'inophila , but is considerably larger than any of the species

in that genus. The Zoological Society call it the Brazilian Blue

Grosbeak, and some of the dealers give it the absurd name of

Brazilian Bullfinch.


The general colour of the male is deep blue, similar to

the colour of the Combasou, the forehead and fore part of the

crown and the butt of the wing are of a much lighter and

brighter blue ; the feathers at the sides of the beak and under¬

neath, to the extent of nearly a quarter of an inch from the

beak, are black ; the flight feathers of the wing are black or

nearly so, and the tail feathers the same colour, the bill blackish.


I have never seen the female, but she is described as being

of an ochreous brown colour.


It is a somewhat slender bird,, although the head and beak

are large in proportion to the body. In actual bulk it would

perhaps not much exceed the Greenfinch, but it would measure

considerably more in length.


From the above description it will be seen that it is a bird

of striking appearance, which would add to the attractions of

any aviary—but I should be inclined to doubt its peaceableness,

and should advise considerable caution in placing it among

smaller birds. It has a good song,


The circumstance that Mr. Swaysland has at present two

males in his possession has enabled me to describe this decidedly

uncommon species.


It is a South American bird.


(To be continued).



