Correspondence



117



proof that they have been imported. There is no reason, however,

why some of them should not be imported in the future.


Rufous-bellied Finch (S. hypoxantha)


Similar to the Fire-red Finch but the chestnut of a paler tinge and

the brown of the upper parts considerably greyer in colour.


Habitat. —South Brazil and Paraguay.


Black and Chestnut Finch (S. nigrorufa)


Similar to the Reddish Finch but the cock has black upper parts.


Cinnamon Finch (S. cinnamonea)


An extremely doubtful subspecies of the Fire-red Finch.


Chestnut-throated Finch (S. telasco)


Greyish brown above with a whitish band across the rump ; wing

and tail feathers darker with a white bar on the former ; throat chestnut

brown ; rest of under parts whitish ; bill blackish ; legs and feet greyish

brown.


Habitat. —West Peru and Ecuador.


Black and White Finch (S. bicolor)


Glossy black above, white below with a white patch across the

rump ; legs and feet blackish brown ; bill yellow. Size about that of

the Half-white Finch.


Habitat. —Brazil.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


DUCK HYBRIDS


Dr. Hopkinson’s excellent article on hybrids of the Anatidce in the March

Avicultural Magazine is of more than passing interest to me as we have

had so very many of the hybrids he lists in our own collection of waterfowl.

This seems especially true during the last ten or a dozen years. One almost

feels that each succeeding generation of tamed, hand-reared birds increases

the tendency to hybridization. I have observed that wild-caught males,

introduced for a fresh infusion of blood, almost never mate with females other

than their own sort (with the exceptions of the ubiquitous Mallard and the

Muscovy) but that with continued captive breeding (and possibly the constant

association with other species which it brings about) the tendency to

hybridize seems much more apparent.


Last season we had a curious example of hybridization. A male Pink¬

footed Goose (A. brachyrhynchus), already well mated with a female of his

own species, conceived a violent passion for a female Hutchins’ Goose ( B.

canadensis hutchinsii) which lived with her mate in an adjoining enclosure.

Being curious to see what might ensue, the Pink-foot male was let into the



