The Quail Finch.



170



and others to the Mniotiltidcz. The Frhigillid<z are generally

described as nine-primaried birds, although the tenth primary,

though concealed by its coverts as in the Icteridce , is always

present, and in Passer, Fringilla, and some other genera is

remarkably well-developed : in nestlings it can be seen without

searching for it.


The real distinction between the so-called nine- and ten-

primaried Oscmes is, that in the former the tenth primary is

shorter than its coverts and usually lies close to and a little below

the ninth; whereas in the latter it is longer than its coverts, and

lies more nearly on the same place with the ninth; the former

Mr. Pycraft tells us should be called a remicle, whereas the latter

is generally known as a bastard-primary.


Perhaps some of our members may question whether this

little article should appear in our Magazine, and ask what it has

to do with aviculture ; but surely it should be the aim of every

true aviculturist to know something respecting the relationships

of his pets, and in order to do this, he must take the trouble to

examine their structure as well as their colouring : we cannot

always sex our birds by colour alone. The man who is a good

all-round Ornithologist makes the best Aviculturist; I only wish

I could attain to that position.



THE QUAIL FINCH.


Two pairs of the interesting little Quail-finch ( Ortygospiza

polyzonal) were received by the Zoological Society on January

30th last, and are the first of their kind to be represented in the

collection.


In colour, these birds are dark grey above, and chocolate

brown on the lower breast and abdomen, the breast and flanks

being barred with white as shown in the illustration, which has

been made from the living birds. The bill, legs and feet are red.


According to Captain Shelley, this pretty little finch ranges

from Angola and Abyssinia, southward into Cape Colony.


Stark writes: “These pretty little birds are usually met

with in small flocks, but occasionally in single pairs, on open

grassy flats. Here they feed on the ground, under the grass, on



