Fringilla nitens, LINNÆUS; Le Moineau du Brésil, BUFFON; Der
glänzende Fink, BECHSTEIN.
This bird is smaller than the house sparrow, being only four inches and
a half long. The beak and feet are flesh-coloured; the iris is white.
All the plumage is of a bluish black, or black with a hue of burnished
steel; the female has the upper part of the body covered with blackish
feathers, bordered with a yellowish brown; the rump gray, the under part
of the body dark yellowish brown; the tail-feathers black with gray
edges; the feet reddish; in some males the beak and feet are black.
OBSERVATIONS.--This bird is found in the woods of Cayenne, and the
neighbourhood of Carthagena in America. Its clear note is very
agreeable. It appears to sing with so much energy as to ruffle the
feathers of the head and neck. Its food consists of all kinds of
seeds and fruits. Though bread appears to be sufficient when caged,
it is better to add rape, millet, and poppy seed. It is easily tamed.