Loxia sanguinirostris, LINNÆUS; Le Becsanguin, BUFFON; Der
Rothschäbliger Kernbeisser, BECHSTEIN.
This pretty little bird is three inches and a half long, of which the
tail measures one inch, and the beak four lines. The feet are nine lines
in height, the middle claw measures five lines and the side ones four.
The beak is strong, rather naked at the forehead, and of a dark blood
red; the feet are of a very red colour, the claws black; the eyelids
red, and irides orange; the circle of the beak, including the forehead,
eyes, and chin, is black; the top of the head rust-colour, more or less
approaching to red, scattered with blackish spots, formed by the black
of the feathers; the under part of the body of a brownish red, clouded
with white, and lighter on the sides and the lower part of the belly,
the whole spotted with black in the young birds, but with no spots in
the old ones.
The female is altogether lighter, and has no black on the head, but two
dark grey streaks above and under the eyes; the under part of the body
is only reddish grey.
OBSERVATIONS.--This species is found on the coasts of Africa, in
Bengal, and other parts of Asia. It is a very agreeable bird, and
though its voice is weak its song is only the more melodious. A male
and female put together in a cage seem to be taken up with their
mutual affection, always feeding and caressing each other. They are
fed on crushed canary and hemp seed, which preserves them in good
health for several years. The room in which they are kept must be
heated during winter.