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Foreign Fi}ichc5 in CapiLVtly.
whiter in tlie centre; sides of bod}' and flanks somewhat browner, the abdomen
yellowish-white, thighs brown ; iinder tail-eoverts ochreous white ; nnder wing-coverts
and axillaries olive-yellowish, the former white at the base; qnills below dnsky,
ashy along the inner edge." Length 4- inches.
Mr. E. W. White says that—" This bird, which is ver}- quick in its mo^•enients,
builds a very delicate little nest, of a deep but ver}- round cup-shape,
formed of interlaced horsehair, so open and thin as to be seen through. It is
abundant in the orchard trees around Buenos Ayres, but sometimes maj' be seen
pendent from maize stalks. It is possessed of a nice song, and breeds very late,
indeed quite up to the beginning of autumn. It la3'S three eggs in a clutch, of
a pale bluish green, mottled with small sepia blotches and spots, Avhich, occurring
more thickl}' in a central band, leave the ends somewhat free. ]\Ieasurement: axis
18 millimetres, diameter 13 millimetres."
Personally I am unable to speak of the song, having never heard anything
but a sa^'ag"e scream from my birds when alarmed; but, judging from the general
similarity of S. cccnilescens to S. albigidaris, one would not expect to find much
dissiniilarit}' in the vocal performances of the two species. The genus to which
these birds belong contains no less than thirty-six recognized forms, and nine
which ma}-, or maj' not prove to be different; these birds are imported more by
chance than design; being, apparently, introduced by the South American agents,
ill order to make up a full nuniber in a consignment. Man}- of them are, at first
sight, ^-ery similar; and it is probable that the White-throated Finch alone is
likely to be brought to England with anything approaching regularity.
The greatest obstacle to breeding this and many other little foreign finches
in captivit}' is, that so veiy few hens are ever sent home.
In Sclater and Hudson's ' Argentine Ornitholog}'' S. cccrulescens is called the
' Screaming Finch,' and Mr. Hudson says of it—" These birds are always most
abundant in plantations, preferring peach trees, but do not associate in flocks : they
are exceedingly swift and active, overflowing with life and energy, their impetuous
notes and motions giving one the idea that they are always in a state of violent
excitement. The male has a loud startled chirp, also a song composed of eight
or ten notes, delivered with such vehemence and rapidity, that they run into each
other and sound more like a scream than a song. There is not a more clever
architect than this species; and while many Synallaxcs* are laboriously endeavouring
to show how stately a mansion of sticks a little bird can erect for itself, the
" The Spine-tails, a group of Insect-eating, somewhat Tit-lilie, birds. .'V.G.B.
The Bluish Finch.
95
Screaming Finch lias successfully solved the problem of how to construct the most
perfect nest for lightness, strength, and symmetry with fewest materials It is a
small, cup-shaped structure, suspended liammock-wise between two slender upright
branches, and to wliich it is securely attached by fine hairs and webs. It is made
of thin, pale-coloured, fibrous roots, ingeniou.sly woven together-reddish or lightcoloured
horsehair being sometimes substituted ; and so little material is used that
standing under the tree, a person can easily count the eggs through the bottom
oi the nest. Its apparent frailness is, however, its best protection from prying
eyes of birds and mammals that prey on the eggs and young of small birds- for
It IS difficult to detect this slight structure, through which the sunshine and rain
pass so freely. So light is the little basket-nest that it may be placed on the
open hand and blown away with the breath like a straw; yet so strong that a man
can suspend his weight from it without pulling it to pieces. The eg-s are three
in number, white and spotted with black, sometimes bluish-brown spots are
mingled with the black."
Dr. Russ calls this the "Ornamented Grosbeak" in his synonymy and "Das
Schmuckpfaffchen" (Little spruce Parson) at the head of his account. He applies
the name "Bluish Finch" or "Little blue-grey Parson," to the "Grey Grosbeak"
of Latham fSpermophUa grueaj. A study of the entire synonymy of the two
species, would probably reveal an explanation of this confusion, for which I do
not believe the great German bird-keeper is responsible.
He says that this bird is "most copiously imported; at times common in the
market. Song monotonous, chirping, yet not unpleasant. Hitherto it has not
been bred."
^ The illustration of the male is taken from the skin of one of the specimens
imported by the author and from a living specimen subsequently obtained.
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