PHEYGILUS GAYI 53 



at a raw sheep's head fell a victim to the '410 — an act of 

 necessity, yet of regret on my part. The following morning 

 I saw the female with her head in a beef bone within a few 

 yards of me, but could not bring myself to kill her. A pair 

 became residents on the premises of the manager's house at 

 Rio McClelland Settlement. They appeared on the scene as 

 soon as it was occupied, and remained during my two months' 

 stay. Much as I desired a female, I had not the heart to kill 

 one of the pair. Ultimately, I secured one on the mainland 

 in the forest behind Punta Arenas. 



In its first state of nature, this handsome Finch inhabits 

 forest depths and outskirts. I have never seen it in open 

 country. It possesses an individuality entirely its own. It 

 is friendly to man, and frequents human habitations where 

 it subsists largely — if not wholly — on refuse. 



The merry habits and untiring energy of this Finch make it 

 a most interesting pet at large. The pair at Eio McClelland 

 Settlement used to exploit a refuse pit at the back of the house. 

 It devolved on my host Clarke or myself to light the fire, 

 and make tea in the early mornings. However early the 

 avalanche of ashes into the pit, it dislodged the Finches, to 

 dash out and return when the dust had cleared. Other 

 dependents on the pit were a family of Sparrows, but these were 

 never allowed there by the Finches until their wants had been 

 satisfied. If it came on wet, they took shelter in a pile of dead 

 forest wood brought in for kitchen use. They never sang about 

 the house, beyond the merest twitter when taking wing. 



In the forest, this Finch has a remarkable song — " Cha-che- 

 chi : CJia-che-cM : cke-cM'^ — the first two notes of the three in 

 the same key, the third higher, and the second of the two also 

 higher than the first. 



In the stomachs of the male and female shot in the forest 

 I found — in one case grass seeds and gravel, in the other gravel 

 only. 



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