224 GROSBEAK. 



wholly ash-coloured.* This coincides with the account given by Mr. 

 Masson, who observes, that the appearance of these among the green 

 reeds, from the brightness of their colours, look like so many 

 scarlet lilies, f 



M. Thunberg says, they come in innumerable flocks, near rivers 

 overgrown with tall reeds, on which they build ; they first devour the 

 blossoms of the wheat, and afterwards the corn itself, not being 

 easily frightened from the fields; the eggs are perfectly green. J 



I have observed several, which wanted the black on the chin ; and 

 both in these, and the others, the upper and lower tail coverts are as 

 long as the tail itself, and in one instance even exceeded it : § in 

 another, the whole of the neck feathers had a ruffled appearance, 

 and were more rigid than the rest ; the belly black, mixed with a few 

 white feathers on the sides, and the red colour in this specimen a 

 fiery orange. 



A. — Loxia Franciscana, Sckr. der Berl. Nat. ix. 332. t. ix. No. 2. 



Size of the other. Bill dusky ; top of the head, and sides, even 

 with the gape, black; breast and belly the same; wings greyish 

 ash-colour; the rest of the plumage red; tail pointed at the end, 

 and exceeding the wings but little in length ; legs dull yellow. 



Inhabits Acra, in Africa, and according to Mr. Isert, who describes 

 it, found there in June, July, and August, at which time it feeds on 

 the seeds of a small holcus || then in perfection. 



* This circumstance is confirmed by Mr. Barrow. He says, that in the summer the 

 neck, breast, back, and rump, are bright crimson, but during the other six months it is 

 stripped of its gaudy attire, and adopts the modest garb of the female, -which is, at all 

 times, greyish brown : he adds, that they are gregarious, and build their nests in large soci- 

 eties. — Barrow' 1 s Trav. p. 243. 



f Masson J s Journ. into the Cape. — Phil. Trans. 66. p. 278. 



X Thunberg's Trav. ii. p 13. 



* At first sight the tail looked red, but in fact was brown like the v/ings, for the long 

 coverts, which were of the first colour, obscured it. 



|| Holcus bicolor. 



