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J
RILL
T H E WHITE-THROATED FINCH.
Spcniio[>liila aibig!//ai-is, SPIX.
'"J^'^HE merits of this extremely fascinating little bird have only recenth' Isegun
to be appreciated b_v aviarists. Herr AViener, in Cassell's "Cage Bii'ds"
speaks rather contemptuoush' of the entire genus SpcnnopIiHa : he gives a list of
seven species and devotes three paragraphs to the whole: he says—''The\' are
distinguished by a singular}- thick and arched beak, which gives them a peculiar
appearance. Their plumage unpretending, and their song quite insignificant ; but
the}' are funnj'-looking amiable little beings, AVIIO are content to lead a perfectl}'
harmless existence in the aviar}' munching millet and canary seed. In the course
of years I have kept all those named above without disco^'ering anything speciall}^
interesting in any one of them." Well, I don't agree with him. The Whitethroated
Finch is a nati\-e of Brazil and is an extremel\- beautiful little bird;
reminding one, in the disposition of its colours, of our European House-Martin.
The general hue above is slate-grey, the feathers of the mantle being mottled with
dusky near their extremities ; the feathers of the wings, with the exception of the
lesser coverts, are blackish, with pale grey edges ; the outer webs of the middle
primaries are white at the base; the upper tail coverts are blackish, with broad
pale gre}^ borders, the tail feathers black, with narro\v grey edges; crown of head
dark slate-grc}-, mottled at the back with black and entirely black in front; lores
black, surmounted by a narrow white line; feathers round eye and ear coverts
black, the latter gre^-ish behind ; cheeks and under parts snow-white, with a broad
band of black across the throat ; the sides of the body slightly gre3-ish ; thighs
black at the back; lower wing coverts forming a dusky patch near the edge of
the wing ; cjuills below blackish, -svith the base of the inner web white, edged
with grey; beak yellow; legs dusky; length 4-'„ inches. The female is brown,
with black beak ; under parts paler.
This bird is very hardy, active, always neat and clean in appearance, tolerabl}?
tame and a most industrious singer. The song is rather superior to that of the
i s"
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