Loxia Caffra, LINNÆUS; Le Caffre, BUFFON; Der Mohren
Kernbeisser, BECHSTEIN.
This bird is very little larger than the bullfinch, but its long and
raised tail is about twice the length of its body: it is only ornamented
with it during the pairing season. The beak is brown grey; the feet
grey; the prevailing colour of the plumage is velvet black; the
shoulders are red; the coverts white; the pen-feathers brown grey, with
a white border.
The female is always grey, and has only a little red on the shoulders.
The male acquires its beautiful black plumage at the beginning of
November, and loses it in January, to assume the colours of the female.
OBSERVATIONS.--This species, which is found in the interior of the
country north of the Cape, lives and builds in marshes: it is rarely
brought to Europe. The long tail of the male requires a large cage in
order to preserve its beauty. In its wild state this length of tail
is very inconvenient during the high winds; and during the rainy
season it may be caught by the hand. It is fed with canary seed.