Identifier: illustratedbooko00blak (find matches)
Title: The illustrated book of canaries and cage-birds, British and foreign
Year: 1878 (1870s)
Authors: Blakston, W. A Swaysland, W Wiener, August F
Subjects: Canaries Cage birds
Publisher: London New York : Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co.
Contributing Library: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library

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ut about twenty-four hoursreconciles even the most timid amongst the small Finches to the tail of their new friend. Whenfeeding on the ground the male Whydah-bird carries his tail very carefully in a gracefulcurve, the extreme ends just touching the ground, whilst the agile feet scratch in the sand andfood-dishes, after the manner of fowls. Some years since three Paradise Whydah-birds, of rare beauty and great value, came intomy hands, which I ascertained to be Vidua verreauxi, a local variety of Vidua paradisea.The brown collar was golden-yellow at the back of the neck, and the black head and throatwere of a much more intense tint. The tail reached the extraordinary length of fourteen tosixteen inches. One of these birds escaped one day, and to see him floating from tree to treein the garden was a sight of such beauty that one might almost forget the loss of the bird.The excitement of the Sparrows was amusing, and they at once mobbed their strange long- Cassells Canaries J^Cage Birds
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Vmcern.Bioolu;Day,»tSon LiUi. SHAFT-TAILED WYDAH,PARADISE WYDAH YELLOWBACKED WYDAH. Whydah-Birds. 401 tailed visitor. It was less amusing that they drove the poor bird from the neighbourhood,beyond the reach of recapture, and probably some cat breakfasted on his valuable body beforedawn of the following day. For food and treatment see the two preceding pages. PIN-TAILED WHYDAH-BIRD (Vidua pHncipalis), Africa. (Illustrated.)Vidua principalis (Russ), Emberiza piincipalis, Fringilla principalis, Emlieriza serena, Vidua minor, Fringilla serena.Vidua eryihrothyncha. English dealers name—Pin-tailed Whydah-bird. German name—Dominikaner Widafink.Frencli name—Veuve Dominicaine. When in full plumage the Pin-tailed Whydah-bird is one of the most elegant inhabitantsof our aviaries. He is a trifle smaller than the Paradise Whydah, and his plumage is lesssombre, the black head, back, and wings being relieved by a coral-red beak, white breast,and a white mark on the wings. The two central jet

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