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gS Foreign Finches in Captivity.
Plionipara canora has been called Cuban Finch and Brown-clieeked Grosbeak.
These names are rather vagne ; and, therefore, the somewhat flattering designation
of "Melodious Finch" is preferable. Very little seems to have been published
respecting the wild habits of F. canora ; but respecting tlie allied P. òicotor* and
its variety' P. marchii, which differ principali}- in having no yellow on the throat,
the following facts have been made known : —
Messrs. A. & E. Newton sa}' that it has a Bunting-like song, wliicli is al\va3-s
heard ver}- early in the morning. It is said to frequent the curing-houses, hopping
on the uncovered sugar-hogslieads, and making a plentiful meal therefrom. It is
very sociable and feeds in small flocks, mostly on the ground among the guineagrass.
The crops of those dissected were usually found to contain small seeds.
They build domed nests in the low bushes, thickets of bamboo, or among creepers
against the side of the house, seldom more than four feet from the ground,
composed entirely of dry grass, the interior being lined with finer materials of
the same. The opening is on one side, and is large for the size of the nest.
The}' breed from the middle of May to the end of July. The eggs are wliite,
spotted with red, especially at the larger end ; usually three, very rarel}- four in
number.
Mr. March speaks of it as the most common of the Grass Finches in Jamaica,
and as nesting, at all seasons of the year, in low- trees and bushes. Near homesteads,
building its domed nest, it makes use of shreds, scraps of cloth, bits
of cotton and other trash. He also states that the eggs are spotted rather with
brown than red, vary greatly in size and from three to six in number.
Mr. Hill again observes that this finch very frequently selects a shrub on
which the wasps have built ; fixing the entrance close to the cells of tliese insects :
and Mr. Gosse seems not to believe in its song, for he states that the only note
of this species is a single harsh guttural squeak, difficult eitlier to imitate or
describe. He evidently did not get up early enough to hear the song.
Dr. Russ calls this "The little Cuba-Finch " and observes: — It ranks high
among the most graceful and beautiful inhabitants of the Bird-room ; in consequence
of the remarkable ease with which it can be bred, long the darling of all amateurs
and breeders." " It is reckoned among the rarer, at the same time more costly,
whilst much sought for cage-birds ; notwithstanding its having been frequently bred and
its rapid sale * it is imported by all large dealers, though only in single or
few pairs. It has no song, in spite of being called Clia7iteur de Cuba ; even in the
• Phonipara Ucolor is known as the "Bahama Sparrow." Any bird which approaches houses and Imilds its nest of
rubbish, has a chance of being called a Sparrow.
The Melodious Finch. ^^
season of love only a soft piping and whispering. Disposition showing great likeness
to that of the Astrilds. Not spiteful, but in the immediate vicinit}- of the
nest ver}- snappish towards larger birds. Nest in a thick tangle, a purse with a
long entrance tube running obliquely to below it, only rarely an open cup of
Agave- and Coeoa-fibre, strips of bast, wool and hair ar'tistically felted togethercomp
eted in six to eight day. Lay^ng four eggs, bluish or greenish white, with
fine dark speckling. Nestling down whitisli grey. Wa.-.lands yellowish white
Young plu,nage brownish-olive green; collar pale yellow, in the male already distinct'
ace and breast blackish brown; underside dusty grey; little beak dusty brown'
Up to the first moult in dull plumage, then the blackish mark shows itself eoninually
getting darker, n.oreover the colouring of the breast and simultanlously
he previously narrow yellow stripe becomes gradually broader. The production
of a brood takes four weeks. Each pair yearly produces from three to as much
as seven broods. Ihe young must be removed, as soon as the old birds begin to.
nes again. I fi,st .eared the Cuba Finch, and equally in cage and bird room
with good results. Enduring, it can be kept perfectly well through the winter in
an unheated place."
^ The entrance tube to the nest which Dr. Russ describes is a frequent characteristic
of the nests of Waxbills.
Di. C. S^ Simpson sends me the following note respecting his pair of this
tiL 111 n F ^^ "
the small Finches. My pair have had a somewhat uneventful life so far- they
are never dull or ailing and do not seem at all susceptible to cold. Thev hardly
deserve the name of "Melodious Finch" I think: the cock has a ratheV pretty
n t but It hardly amounts to a song. They are extremely lively birds, always
on the move, and require a large cage : their greatest charm to me is their ehee y
bnght disposition. The harmonious combination of golden yellow, black and
ohye-green, pleases me far more than the more vivid contrasts of the Gouldian
and Parrot Finches. They are very fond of bathing and invariably keep th mselves
in the most faultless condition: the cock and hen display the .neatest
ed with a httle white millet, I used to give them small mealworms occasionalhf
but I am sure they are better without them. Unfortunately I have no faciliti«
at present for keeping birds loose in rooms or out-door aviaries and there are bu
few birds which will breed in cages."
s t a t e i t n f " ' f i ' ^^^^ the following
statement confirmatory of my view of the afiinities of this species:-"In its entire
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