Birds. Pl. 32.
Chlorospiza melanodera.
1. Passer Jagoensis. Gould.
Plate XXXI.
Pyrgita Jagoensis, Gould, Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1837. p. 77.
P. summo capite, et maculâ parvâ gulari intensè nigrescenti-fuscis; strigâ superciliari, collo, humeris dorsoque intensè castaneis, hujus plumis strigâ fuscâ centrali notatis; alis caudâque brunneis, tectricibus alarum minoribus albis, qui color fasciam transversam efficit: lineâ angustâ albâ à nare ad oculum; genis corporeque subtùs albis, hoc colore in cinereum ad latera transeunte: rostro, pedibusque fuscis.
Long. tot. 5 unc.; caudæ, 2¼; alæ, 2½; rost. ½; tarsi, ⁵⁄₄.
Crown of the head and a small mark on the throat intense blackish brown, with a stripe on the eyebrows, the neck, shoulders and back bright chestnut, the feathers of the latter marked with a central dusky streak; wings and tail brown, with the smaller wing coverts white, forming a transverse bar; a narrow white line from the nostrils to the eye; cheeks and under side of body white, this colour passing into grey on the sides; beak and feet dusky.
Habitat, St. Jago, Cape Verde Islands (January).
This is the commonest bird in the island; it frequents, generally in small flocks, both the neighbourhood of houses and wild uninhabited spots. It was building its nest towards the end of August.