The Saffron Finch. 153 



both by Dr. Eusser and Herr Wieher, to be very easily kept 

 and bred: however, as I have not tried it, I shall merely 

 observe that it is much cheaper than it used to be, the price 

 having declined from £3 to eighteen shillings or fifteen shillings 

 a pair. 



The common Java Sparrow is a perfectly hardy bird, and 

 may be safely wintered out of doors; it is a frugal feeder, 

 and will thrive on canary and millet seed. 



CHAPTER XLIX. 



THE SAITEON PINCH. 



THIS bird, of which the scientific name is Sycalis Bra- 

 %iUensis, the German der Safranfink, and the French le 

 Chardonneret A front d' or, is one of the most charming birds 

 I know, and is, I fancy, the same that is described by Bech- 

 stein under the name of der grilne Stieglit%, for in some specimens 

 the deep orange tint of the forehead in the male assumes a 

 positively red shade, such as the Father of cage-bird lore 

 attributes to his Green Goldfinch. 



In size the Saffron Finch is equal to an ordinary Norwich 

 Canary, with which bird it freely forms an alliance, and 

 hybrids are said to have been obtained from it by Dr. Euss, 

 and others; but the eggs of a Canary I paired with one of 

 these birds were all barren. The general colour of the Saffron 

 Finch is greenish yellow, the throat and forehead are golden 

 orange, and the flight and tail feathers black, with yellowish 

 green edges. 



The colours of the female are lighter than those of the 

 male, and she bears a considerable resemblance to a buff cin- 

 namon Canary that has been moulted on green food, for she 



