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T H E RED-CRESTED FINCH,
Coryphospingus cristatus, GMEL.
LTHOUGH not uncommon at Buenos Aj^res, tliis beautiful little Buntingseems
to be rarely imported. In 1893 I received three cock birds in a
consig-nment from ha Plata, bnt tliey readied me somewhat out of condition and
required careful attention to restore them to vigour; indeed even when they had
apparently quite recovered from the effects of the journey, one specimen, which I
exchanged for two hens of the Pileated Finch, shortly afterwards died and, as
winter approached a second became asthmatic and sleepy and was only restored to
comparative health by the use of brandy and glycerine mixed with its drinking water*
The general colour of the upper surface of the male is lake-brown, more
crimson on the head and towards the tail; the wing-coverts are brown, the edo-es
tinted with lake-reddish; the primary coverts and flight feathers dull brown with
•narrow crimson-tinted edges; the tail-feathers blackish, similarly edged; a blackedged
satiny carmine crest on the crown as in C. pileatus\ lores and feathers
round the ej^e dusky; ej-elid whitish; base of cheeks and chin whitish; back of
cheeks, throat and under surface of body crimson lake; thighs somewhat greyish;
under wing coverts whitish; axillaries somewhat greyish; flights below dusky, with
greyish inner edges; beak and legs pale slate-grey; upper mandible darker; iris
sepia-brown. Length inches.
Dr. Sharpe thus describes the hen:—"Much duller in colour than the male,
and wanting the crimson crest. General colour above brown, including the head;
the rump and upper tail-coverts vinous red; wing-coverts like the back; quills and
tail-feathers edged with brown; lores ashy whitish; ear-coverts brown tinged with
vinous; cheeks and under surface of body pale vinous, browner on the fore-neck
and breast. Total length 6,'„ inches."
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* Wlien any bird is so far gone that, at the approach of darkness, it retires to a corner, and (tnrninij its
face to the wall) appears to be occupied with devotions; there is nothing like three or four drops of brandy and
water (half and half) for recovering it.
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