338 



ABYSSINIAN HYREUS. 

 (Hyreus Abyssinicus.) 



Hy, niger, capite gula juguloque rubris ; tectricibus alarum fuscis, 

 alba marginatis. 



Black Plant-cutter, with the head, throat, and jugulum red ; 



wing-coverts brown, with white margins. 

 Phytotoma Abyssinica. Lath. Syn. Sup. II. XLIX. 2. 

 Phytotoma tridactyla. Baud. Orn. 2. 366. 2. 

 Loxia tridactyla. Lath. Ind. Orn. 1. 397. 93. 

 Le Guifso Balito. Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. 3. 47 1. 

 Three-toed Grosbeak. Lath. Gen. Syn. 3. 159. 

 Abyssinian Plant-cutter. Lath. Syn. Sup. IT. 213. 2. t. 133. 



This bird appears to vary in some respects, as 

 the descriptions given by Buffon and Daudin do 

 not exactly coincide. Mons. Buffon describes it 

 to have the head, throat, and fore-part of the neck, 

 of a beautiful red ; which colour reaches in a band 

 down to the vent: the upper part of the neck, 

 body, and tail, black : wing-coverts brown, with 

 white edges : quills the same, with greenish edges : 

 legs dull red: the wings reach half way on the 

 tail : the toes only three in number, placed two 

 before, and one behind. Mons. Daudin says it is 

 the size of the common Grosbeak : beak brown : 

 the head and front of the neck red: the rest of 

 the plumage black : shoulders brownish, with a 

 green tinge : greater wing-coverts appearing like 

 black scales, with the margins white, and tinged 

 with olive : tail forked : legs brown : it is found 

 in Abyssinia, and, according to Mr. Bruce, it is a 



