The Tropical Seed-Finch.



150



Whether this bird is really mute, I cannot at present say

definitely, as I have three Spermophilce with it; but the day after

it reached me I heard what I believed to be the Tropical Seed-

Finch utter a note which sounded like zvhit zizi: I never yet

heard any Spennophila produce a note of the kind to my know¬

ledge. That it is quiet and peaceful in a flight-cage is certainly

true; but whether a pair in a good-sized aviary would be equally

amiable remains to be proved.


Little seems to have been recorded respecting the wild life

of O. torridus ; Burmeister says that it is more at home 011 open

commons than in the vicinity of forest, and that is about all that

appears to be definitely known of the species in freedom ; but

the much larger O. crassirostris builds in low bushes, forming its

nest of coarse grass-stems, with a lining of finer grass; it lays

two eggs, possibly more at times, of a mottled greyish-brown

colour blotched with Jilacine grey and irregularly blotched and

streaked with dark red-brown. It is not improbable that O.

torridus would resemble the larger species somewhat in its nidi-

fication.


Dr. Sharpe places Oryzobotus among the Grosbeaks be¬

tween Guiraca and Loxigalla; but Professor Ridgwav says of

Oryzobonts and some others “ they are ‘ grosbeaks’ ” so far as the

large size of the bill is concerned, though not otherwise, for

there is very great difference in the form of the beak between

such genera as Phetidicus , Zamelodia, Gcospiza , Oryzobonts, Car-

dinalis, etc., and that of Hesperiphona, Coccothraustes , etc., not to

mention radical differences in other respects. He defines no Sub¬

families, but places Oryzoborus between Cyanocompsa and Guiraca.


Both of these leading Systematists therefore seem to agree

that Oryzoborus is related to Guiraca, though O. toirida with its

prominent white speculum and its modest colouring, as well as

in the general outline of head and beak seems nearly to approach

Sporophila {Spennophila of the Museum Catalogue). Cyanocompsa

is a genus proposed by Cabanis for Cyanoloxia parellina (Guiraca

parellina of Sclater) and includes several species referred by

Dr. Sharpe to Gztiraca ; so that, according to Ridgwav Oryzobonts

must be very nearly related indeed to the Guiraca (Bine Gros¬

beaks) of the Museum Catalogue.



