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C R I M S O N - W I N G E D PINCH, i
T H E RED-FACED FINCH.
Pytdia afra, GMEI,.
A LSO known by the name of " AViener's Astrild " or Pytelia wieneri, the name
bestowed upon it by Drs. Pinsch and Russ. Previously in 1870 it had been
confounded by Finsch and Hartlaub with P. melba; it was, later, described by
Cabanis in 1877, as P. cinereigula and the name of P. pyropteryx was proposed for
it by Schalow in 1884. Altogether this little bird is well-off for names. Its
habitat is West Africa, from Congo to Angola and Mossamedes, across to Lake
Tanganjdka and the Zanzibar-district of Eastern Africa.
The male above is dull orange slightljr shaded with olive; the hinder part of
the back and upper tail-coverts crimson, the median and greater wing-coverts
externally tinted with red; flight feathers dull brown ^vith a vermillion shade on
the outer webs ; central tail feathers crimson, the remainder black, crimson externally
; the forehead, eyebrow, cheeks, chin and upper throat bright crimson ;
a grej' lozenge-shaped patch enclosing the eye; crown of head, nape, sides of neck
and lower throat ash-grey ; remainder of body below olivaceous yellow, slightly
golden towards the front of the neck ; barred irregularly with white, more
distinctly on the abdomen ; under tail coverts somewhat dusky, barred with white;
under wing-coverts whitish ; edge of wing yellowish; flight feathers below dull
blackish, with gre3ash inner edges. Length inches. Beak crimson, the base
of upper mandible brown ; legs rose-pink ; iris deep red.
The female is duller-coloured than the male and has no red on the forehead,
face and throat. Length 45 inches.
Young birds resemble the female excepting that they are whiter on the throat
and have a paler and browner beak.
In i88o Mr. W. A. Forbes gave an account of one of Wiener's specimens of
this species, presented by him to the Zoological Society in June 1879, ^.nd which
was still living at that date, (May 31st, 1880) a coloured illustration of the bird
accompanies Mr. Forbes notes ; which are rather interesting to the cabinet-
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