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R I B B O N FINCH. 5 $.
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T H E RIBBON FINCH.
Amadina fasciata, GjiELIN.
'^"J^'HIS common but prett}' African species is also known by the far more appropriate,
tliougli less pleasing name, of "Cut-throat Finch." The male above
is dull golden-brown, the outer borders of the feathers brighter and barred with
black; the head is rather grej'er than the back, and the tail feathers blackish-grey,
the inner webs broadlj' tipped with white, the outermost feathers with the outer
web white; flight feathers sniokjr-brown, with greyish-brown edges, inner secondaries
with golden brown tips, a blackish subterminal bar on the inner webs;
feathers round the eye, front of cheeks, chin and back of throat white ; a broad
band of crimson from the ear coverts over the back of the cheeks and across the
t h r o a t ; remainder of under surface fawn-coloured, the chest mottled with white
and barred with black, (having a verj? beautiful effect when the bird sings,) centre
of abdomen and vent white; feathers of flanks with blackish terminal bars; under
tail-coverts creamj' white, black at base. Length to 5! inches. Beak and legs
flesh-coloured ; iris bro^vn.
The hen is rather duller coloured than the cock, shows no pure white on the
cheeks, chin, or throat; the latter being whitish, speckled with black; the crimson
ribbon is wanting : the under parts are dull fawn colour, with no white
mottling on the chest, and the blackish bars mostl}- broken up into dots and
dashes. Length 4I inches ; but probably somewhat variable. It is found from
Senegambia to N. E. Africa and southwards to Masai-Land.
In the Bird-room and aviarj' I found this bird a veritable bully and nuisance;
interfering with the nesting of other birds, chasing and tormenting them, building
and stealing nests, la3-ing eggs but failing to sit on and hatch them. On the
other hand, if placed in an aviar3' with birds stronger or bolder than itself, it
is a coward. In the breeding cage it is one of the most charming, confiding,
and accommodating of all the Ornamental Finches, and this is particularly the
case with birds bred in such a cage.
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