' I
! i
196 Foreign Finches in Captivity.
recalls the Field-sparrow, but tlie former is not so loud and more agreeable.
The call-note is a chirp."
The nearh' allied Red-headed Finch fA. erythrocephalusj is much less
frequently imported and therefore commands a cousiderablj' higher price. Its
general aspect is \'er}' similar to that of the Ribbon Finch and the sexes differ in
much the .same manners; it is some'\\'hat larger and the male bird has the head
aud upper throat crimson ; in the female the head is brown slighth" tinted with
red, but the throat is white ^^'ith narrow trans\-erse bars. Messrs. Sharpe and
Layard give the following account of its habits :—
" Sir A. Smith found this species onl)^ in the neighbourhood of Latakoo,
feeding in the native gardens and congregated together in considerable numbers.
We ha\'e received it froiu Kuruman and Colesberg. Mr. Ortlepp ATites—that
in the latter neighbourhood it is rare, and at Priel it was common in large
flocks; he found a "colon}: in a large 'wait-a-bit' thorn; a cart-load of grass
stuck in a fork with two or three dozen apertures bored in below." Mr. T.
C. Atmore also forwarded us specimens from Griqua Land. Mr. Ayres has
procured it in the Transvaal, aud Dr. Eaton has forwarded us a specimen from
the neighboiirhood of Bloemfontein. The late Mr. Oates shot a specimen at Fati;
and Captain Shellev has in his collection a series obtained bj' Dr. Bradshaw in
the Makalaka conutrv. "This pretty bird" writes Mr. Andersson, "occurs in
Great Namaqua Land, and at Lake N'Gami, also in Damara Land, where,
howe\'er, it is far from common, except in places, being, in fact, quite a
local species. I found it congregated in large flocks on the Omaruru River
at the end of October; aud it was prettj- numerous at Otjimbinque, where it
nested under the eaves of ni}- house and in the adjacent trees in company with
the South African Sparrow [Passer arcuattis,) which it exactly resembles in its
manners and habits ; and I have found the nests of these two species on the
same tree, and even on the same bough, as well as side by side under mj'
eaves. The present species forms its nest of small sticks, slender roots, &c.,
and lines it with wool, feathers, or soft and warm material. The young are
fledged in June and July. It seeks its food upon the ground, usually in small
flocks, and when disturbed, takes refuge in the nearest tree or hedge; it occasionally
utters a kind of chirping twitter." It has been found by Senor
Anchieta in Benguela."
Mr. Abrahams informs me that he has seen a mule between the Ribbonfinch
and the Java-spsrrow; as both species are prolific, there should be no
difiictilty in obtaining this hybrid a second time.
Illustrations from examples living in the author's collection.
I I
I Í
I I'