T H E DOMINICAN CARDINAL.
Paroana Inrvata, BODD.
^/^LSO called "Pope" by dealers: though it would be difficult to say why it
should have a greater claim to that title, than the other red-headed species.
P. ¡arvata is a native of Brazil and nearly resembles P. cucullata excepting in the
absence of a crest: its head, chin and throat are scarlet, the hind margin of the
ear-coverts black ; the back of the neck white with broad black edges to the
feathers ; remainder of upper surface slate-grey; but the feathers of the mantle
edged with black; the wing and primary coverts black; the flight feathers and
upper tail coverts black, edged with grey; the tail feathers blackish, fringed
externally towards the base with grey and tipped with white ; outer rectrices brown ;
sides of neck and whole under surface of body pure white ; the sides and flanks
stained ^\-ith greyish; under surface of wings and tail gTe_yish ^vhite; upper mandible
dark brown, lower mandible yellow, brown at the tip; legs blackish ; iris
hazel.
The hen resembles the cock; but the primaries have narrower white edges to
the outer webs and the beak is longer, with less arched culmen: the young bird
is much browner in colouring, with the scariet of the head and throat replaced by
a cinnamon tint.
This very abundant and beautiful Cardinal is a favourite cage-bird among the
Brazilians, and formerly was imported in considerable numbers into this country;
but of late years the importation of this species seems to ha^-e greatly fallen off,
•though it still arrives occasionally; I purchased a specimen in February, 1894.
According to Iilaximilian Prinz zu Wied, " Tliese birds are not rare at Bahia;
they are simple, quiet creatures, with a clear call-note and a little twittering song.
In that region they are often kept in cages, wherein they thrive, the food being
ground rice and maize. At Bahia, and also among the Spaniards in Paraguay,
the name is Cardinal"
Mr. W. A. Forbes, speaking of this species as observed by liim at Pernambuco,
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