FINCH. 147 



142.— CAYENNE FINCH. 



LENGTH five inches and half. Plumage above brown, beneath 

 very pale ash-colour, streaked with brown ; quills and tail dusky 

 black, the latter rounded at the end. 



Inhabits Cayenne. — In the collection of Mr. Francillon. 



143.— BEARDED FINCH. 



Fringilla barbata, Ind. Orn. i. 456. Gm. Lin. i. 915. Molin. Chil. 219. Id. Fr. Ed. 



227. Shaw's Zool. ix. 484. 

 Bearded Finch, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 208. 



SIZE and habit of the Canary Finch. Bill white at the base, 

 and black towards the tip ; head black and velvety ; body yellow, 

 with a greenish tinge ; wings variegated with green, yellow, red, 

 and black ; tail brown ; from the chin hangs an elongated tuft of 

 black feathers, like a beard ; which in very old birds extends to the 

 middle of the breast. 



The female is wholly grey ; wings spotted with yellow ; but is 

 without the beard-like feathers from the chin. 



Inhabits the mountainous parts of Chili, next the sea ; builds in 

 trees, making the nest of straw and feathers, the eggs only two in 

 number; said to breed several times in the year; hence it is very 

 numerous, and caught by the natives by thousands ; some to be kept in 

 cages, but the chief part to be eaten, as the flesh is accounted savoury, 

 and in much estimation. The male is valued for its song, which the 

 other sex does not possess in the least. The male will also, besides 

 its own, mimic the notes of others ; called by the Spaniards Gilghero, 

 or Goldfinch, which it somewhat resembles in colour; feeds on seeds 

 of various kinds, and in particular the Chili Chervil.* 



* Scandix Chilensis. 

 U 2 



