The DOMINICAN FINCH (_Paroaria dominicana_) is the species we shall
select as the type of the group Paroaria, or Grey Finches, so called from
the leaden colour of a portion of their plumage, the entire back being
grey, the sides of the belly white, and the head usually red. This bird
is slender in shape, with pointed wings that reach almost to the middle
of the rounded tail; the beak is straight and thick, but slightly hooked
at its tip, the edge somewhat compressed, with a slight ridge near the
centre; the legs are powerful and of moderate length. The Dominican Finch
is about six and a half inches long and ten and a half inches across; the
wing about three and a half inches long and the tail three inches. The
plumage of the nape of the neck, back, wings, and tail is of a dark slate
colour; the lower part of the body white, marked upon the sides of the
breast with a greyish shade; the head, gorge, and fore part of the neck
are, with the exception of the black ear-covers, of a deep blood red, the
back of the neck being separated from the grey nape by a white band. The
upper mandible is of a blackish grey, the lower one of a whitish tint;
the eye is brown, and the legs a brownish flesh colour. There is but
little difference between the plumage of the male and female.
These beautiful birds inhabit the northern part of Brazil, and are found
principally about Bahia, Para, and the river Amazon, where, like most of
their tribe, they live in pairs, on bushes that border the large forests;
but are by no means numerous. They are very quiet and simple in their
habits, and will live for a considerable time in a cage. Their song is
short and twittering, and the call-note clear.