FINCH. 107 



being pulled away. The females said to sing as well as the males. 

 These are familiar, and when once used to the climate, will frequently 

 live five or six years in a cage. They have been bred in Holland, 

 by the fanciers of birds. 



71.— WHITE-EARED FINCH. 



Fringilla leucotis, hid. Orn. i. 462. Gm. Lin. i. 905. 



Loxia leucotis, Daud. ii. 440. 



White-eared Finch, Gen. Syn. iii. 314. Osb. Voy. ii. 329, 330. 



OSBECK mentions five small birds, which he describes as Finches; 

 the first had the head, back, and wing coverts, purple; the under 

 side of the body yellow; prime quills and tail fine blue; secondaries 

 green ; on the ears a white spot. 



The second like the former, but the back and tail purple. 



The third with a green head, and a purple breast and tail. 



Fourth, the breast of a light green ; the head and lesser wing 

 coverts brown. 



The fifth had the head, back, wing coverts, and tail, of a fine deep 

 brown ; under side of the body, and under wing coverts, fine crimson. 



Each of these birds had a white spot on the ears; hence it is 

 probable they may be Varieties of each other ; at least, we shall 

 follow Osbeck's supposition of their being so, till justified, by fuller 

 authority, for the alteration. 



The description was taken from some Chinese drawings. 



72— CAPE FINCH. 



Fringilla Alario, Ind. Orn.\. 462. Lin. i. 319. Gm. Lin. i. 905. 



Passerculus Cap. B. Spei, Bris. iii. 106. t. 5. 2. Id. 8vo. i. 336. Klein, 90. Shaw's 



Zool. ix. 543. 

 Sparrow from the Cape of Good Hope, Alb. iii. pi. 67. 

 Cape Finch, Gen. Syn. iii. 315. 



LARGER than a House Sparrow; length four inches and three 

 quarters. Bill pale ash-colour ; head and neck black ; the black 



P 2 



