A. Morrison—The Genus Sporophila



47



being brown instead of black ; the black collar is absent ; the colour

below is much paler.


Female. —Above pale olive brown, slightly ashy on the head and

neck ; sides of head and under surface olive brown, paler than the

upper surface ; abdomen, lower flanks, and under tail coverts, pale

sandy buff ; lesser wing coverts like the back ; wing feathers, dusky

brown edged with olive brown ; under wing coverts, dirty yellowish

white ; bill and legs, blackish.


Habitat. —Mexico.


References ~ Russ, 572. Butler, 146. Neunzig, 237. Bird Notes ,

vol. vi, p. 186.


This pretty little species was first imported in 1895, and was formerly

very rare. This year, however, at least two large consignments have

been imported and at present there must be a good many examples in

the country. The Black-banded Finch is also known as the White-

collared Finch and the Cinnamon Bumped Seed-eater. It is rather

a nervous little bird, but is hardy and absolutely harmless. The cock

which I possess allows itself to be bullied by almost anything. It

has a quiet but pleasant little song, which is, however, very rarely

uttered.


I have had four females presumably of this species that all varied

a good deal in colour. Although they could not very well have been

anything else, they were all much darker than the skins at the Museum.

Some of the “ hens ” that I saw for sale were yellow-billed birds,

undoubtedly the immature cocks of some other species.


Moreleti Finch {S. moreleti) 1


Male. —Upper surface and sides of head, black with a broad white

band across the rump ; moustache streak, throat, and sides of neck

white, the latter extending backwards and forming a half-collar ; fore¬

neck, black forming a broad collar ; remainder of under side, white

with a slight tinge of ochreous buff ; under tail coverts, creamy white ;

thighs, black tipped with white ; wing coverts, black tipped with

white ; middle primaries with the bases of both webs white, forming

a double wing bar ; under wing coverts and axillaries, white ; upper

1 See plate for January.



