114 
CAGE AND SINGING MRDS. 
African bird, and therefore this can scarcely be the ease : 
the size is somewhat smaller, and the blue of the plumage 
more deep and intense ; the collar, pinion, and tail-feathers 
are black, the margins of the wing-coverts a rich yellow, and 
the feathers of the vent and thighs have white edgings. 
This very beautiful and engaging little bird will live long 
in confinement if fed upon hemp and canary seed and 
bruised oats ; it has a soft agreeable song, like that of the 
siskin. 
THE YELLOW-BELLIED GHOSBEAK 
Is about the size of the chaffinch ; the whole upper part of 
the body is of an olive green, and the under side, from the 
breast to the vent, a bright orange ; the head and neck are 
dull blue, of a lightish tinge. Birdsellers aver that this is 
the female of the blue grosbeak, and in confirmation of this 
it may be stated that they agree well if put into a cage 
together ; but this, it appears, is brought from the Cape of 
Good Hope — at all events, a yellow-billed grosbeak very 
like it is ; the French call this latter bird Le Groshec Jaune 
dii Cap de tonne Esperance ; and naturalists differ in their 
statements of the relationships of the dififerent species, if 
diiferent they be. 
THE GOWREY GROSBEAK 
Is a native of Java, and about the size of a linnet : the 
whole upper part of the body, and down as far as the breast, 
is a rich chestnut brown ; there is a purple spot on either 
cheek, which is only seen in the mature bird and in the 
male ; the sides are white, tinged towards the belly and vent 
with red ; the wings and tail, which is short and conical in 
shape, are dark brown 3 most of the fecithers have a heart- 
shaped edge of blackfc The female is much like the male. * 
Canary-seed is the best food for these birds, which are 
gentle and affectionate creatures ; they have a weak twit- 
tering kind of song. 
THE BANDED GROSBEAK. 
Dealers call this bird the Indian sparrow, although it 
comes from the coast of Guinea ; it is about the size of a 
linnet, and has a sharp, conical beak, thick at the base* and 
