Loxia Astrild, LINNÆUS; Le Sénégali rayé, BUFFON; Der Gemeine
Senegalist, BECHSTEIN.
This bird is hardly larger than a golden-crested wren, its length being
four inches and a half, of which the tail measures two inches; the beak
is rather rough at the base, and of a dark red; the band which crosses
the eyes, the centre of the breast and belly, are red; the upper part of
the body is brown, and the lower reddish grey, the whole streaked with
transverse blackish lines, which become finer as they approach the head;
the quill-feathers are brown, as well as the tail, which is
wedge-shaped, and streaked with darker transverse lines; the feet are
brown. These birds change colour like the amandava finch; thus some are
found with the tail entirely brown, others which have the rump crimson,
and the rest of the body brown above and white below, and some have the
belly yellow, and the back spotted with white; there are some, indeed,
which have the neck and throat bluish, the under part of the body white,
mixed with iron colour, and the upper part blue.
OBSERVATIONS.--They inhabit the Canary Islands, Senegal, Angola, the
Cape of Good Hope, and may even be found as far as India, whence they
are brought to Europe. Their beautiful shape, their amiable
disposition, and the affection which they show to every one
indiscriminately, render them such favourites, that a dozen may be
often seen in one cage. Their song is scarcely any thing. They are
fed on millet, which also forms their food in their native country,
to the damage of the fields which are sown with it. They approach
villages like our sparrows; they are caught in traps made of the
shell of a gourd, and cut like a bowl, on which some millet is
scattered.