General Notes. 
24I 
1SS3.] 
the birds were cut in such a way that they could not fly, and they were left 
to roam about the premises. The friend from whom I received my bird, 
secured by an accident this one the same month it was caught. 
This gentleman informed me that when he purchased the bird, the tail 
feathers were out, and the wing feathers cut very close to the body ; but 
what attracted him more particularly was its bright rose color. Upon 
my examination, about the middle of May, I found the bird in a very for- 
lorn looking condition. The wing feathers were fully grown, but the 
tail feathers had again been pulled out, and though the rose color was 
very bright, almost as bright as in a Cassin’s Purple Finch at its best, the 
general appearance of the bird was a sorry one. Carefully examining the 
coloration of the bird, I found that the rose color was very bright on the 
rump and crissum, and that it continued along the abdomen and on to the 
breast, well up to the fore neck. The gray, which was strongly silvered, 
extended well down on the nape, and up to the crown, thence passed 
towards the bill as far as the lores, encircling the eyes and covering the 
auriculars, but leaving a dark chocolate patch at the temples, which formed 
the dividing line at that point between the gray above and below, and con- 
nected with the like color of the neck. The patches on the crown, chin, 
and throat were very nearly of the same color, — dark brown ; the crown 
patch might be called a black. Bill and feet black, the base of the bill 
encircled bj^ an indistinct line of yellowish-white feathers. My friend in- 
formed me that but little change had taken place in the color of the bird 
from February to this date, except that the rose tint had become brighter. 
The bird was represented as being a fine singer and perfectly contented, 
having for a companion a Canary. Shortly after this I started on my 
western tour, and, on returning a few days ago, this rare bird was pre- 
sented to me. He is now (August 22) as fine a looking little fellow — 
plump, healthy and contented — as any bird lover would wish to have for 
a pet or study. 
The summer has been, and is now, quite a sultry one, but this high-alti- 
tude bird having been kept in a cool place seems to fully enjoy his 
confinement. For one month he has not uttered a note, but has been en- 
gaged in putting on a new dress, which thus far presents the following: 
General color, dark chocolate, the feathers of the wings and tail almost 
black, with edgings of yellowish-white ; the feathers on the neck, breast, 
and abdomen edged also, but with a more ashen tinge. Points of upper 
tail-coverts very prominent with yellow 7 ish-ash. No rose color anywhere. 
Crissum and tibia very light ash; lower tail-coverts light ash,, with a few 
black central spots. Bill yellotv , with black tip, and immediately back of 
this black tip the yellow has a peach-blossom tinge. The gray on the 
head is much duller than when I saw the bird last May, and now falls 
lower upon the neck, but, instead of covering the auriculars, only encir- 
cles the eyes with a very narrow line above and below, which disappears 
at the lores. The coloring of the auriculars is such that I think before 
long this part too will be of a like gray color, and will finally take on the 
former silvery effect. The crown patch of dark brown continues from its 
