Part 36

J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

ESTRELDA OCULEA. Red-eared Finch.

Fringilla oculea, Quoy et Gaim. Voy. de l’Astrolabe, Zool., Part I. p. 211; Ois., pl. 18. fig. 2.

Jeȅ-ree, Aborigines of the lowland, and

Dweȑ-den-ngool-gnan̏-neer, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.

Native Sparrow, Colonists of Swan River.

This species is abundant in many parts of the colony of Swan River on the western coast, but has not as yet been discovered elsewhere. Like its near ally the Estrelda bella it inhabits open grassy glades studded with thickets, particularly in moist swampy districts and along the borders of lakes and rivers. Its food consists of small grass-seeds procured among the herbage on the ground. It is not a migratory species, and its place of resort appears to be merely changed when, the supply of food being exhausted, it becomes necessary to seek it elsewhere. Mr. Gilbert states that “it is a solitary species and is generally found in the most retired spots in the thickets, where its mournful, slowly drawn-out note only serves to add to the loneliness of the place. Its powers of flight, although sometimes rapid, would seem to be feeble, as they are merely employed to remove it from tree to tree. The natives of the mountain districts of Western Australia have a tradition that the first bird of this species speared a dog and drank its blood, and thus obtained its red bill.”

The sexes are so much alike that dissection is necessary to distinguish the male from the female. The beautiful patch of scarlet feathers behind the eye, together with the rich colouring of the bill, assists very materially in relieving the more sombre but delicate markings of the remainder of the body.

Lores, line over the bill and a narrow circle surrounding the eye black; behind the eye a small patch of shining scarlet; all the upper surface olive-brown, crossed by numerous fine irregular crescent-shaped bands of black, which are broadest and most conspicuous on the lower part of the back; wings and tail similarly marked, but with the black bands still broader and more distinct; rump and the margins of the base of the central tail-feathers shining scarlet; throat and breast light brown, crossed by numerous crescent-shaped bands of black; abdomen and under surface black, with a large spot of white near the tip of each feather; irides red; bill bright vermilion, the base of the upper mandible edged with pearl-grey; eyelash greenish blue; legs yellowish grey.

The figures are of the natural size.

ESTRELDA BICHENOVII.

J. & E. Gould del et lith. C. Hullmandel Imp. ]

ESTRELDA BICHENOVII. Bicheno’s Finch.

Fringilla Bichenovii, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 258.—Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. i. pl. xii. fig. 3.

This beautiful little Finch inhabits the extensive plains of the interior, particularly such portions of them as are thinly intersected with low scrubby trees and bushes. The localities in which my specimens were obtained were the Liverpool and Brezi Plains, and I have not yet received it from any other parts of Australia, but this may be attributed rather to the paucity of information respecting the interior than to any other cause; and as I have had occasion to remark with respect to other species, it will be impossible to determine the precise extent of the range of this bird until the country has been more fully explored.

The Bicheno’s Finch is very tame in its disposition, and is generally to be observed on the ground, occupied in procuring the seeds of the grasses and other small plants, which form its principal food. At the time of my visit to the interior, which was in the month of December, it was assembled in small flocks of from four to eight in number; these, when flushed from among the grasses, would perch on the neighbouring bushes rather than fly off to any distance, and indeed the form of its wings and tail indicate that it possesses lesser powers of flight than many of the other Finches.

I was not fortunate enough to obtain its nest or eggs, neither did I ever hear it utter any kind of song; consequently I am unable to give any information on these points.

The male has the face, ear-coverts and throat pure white, completely surrounded by a band of black, which is broadest on the forehead; crown of the head, nape of the neck, and back broccoli-brown, each feather crossed by numerous transverse lines of a lighter tint; upper part of the rump black; lower part of the rump and upper tail-coverts snow-white; wings black, all the feathers except the primaries beautifully spotted with white; chest greyish white tinged with buff, bounded below by a broadish band of jet-black; abdomen and flanks buffy white; under tail-coverts and tail black; irides black, surrounded by a narrow black lash; bill beautiful pale blue.

The sexes, although having a similar character of marking, may be distinguished from each other by the male having the black bands of the chest and throat broader, and its plumage more brilliant. The young also at an early age possess the characteristic markings of the adult.

The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.

ESTRELDA ANNULOSA: Gould.

J. & E. Gould del et lith. C. Hullmandel Imp. ]

ESTRELDA ANNULOSA, Gould. Black-rumped Finch.

Amadina annulosa, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VII. p. 143.

This species was one of several, collected by the Officers of H.M.S. the Beagle, and for the specimens from which my figures were taken I am indebted to Messrs. Bynoe and Dring. The bird has also been more recently brought to England by Captain Grey: all the specimens here alluded to were collected on the north-west coast, and I find it is not unfrequently seen on the Coburg Peninsula, where it inhabits the grassy banks of running streams, in small families of from six to ten in number.

It differs from Bicheno’s Finch in the spots and markings on the upper surface being rather less defined, and in the colouring of the rump, which in this species is black, while in the other it is white.

Face, ear-coverts and throat white, surrounded by a jet-black band, which is broadest on the forehead; chest greyish white, bounded below by a conspicuous band of black; lower part of the abdomen white; crown of the head, back of the neck, and back greyish brown marked with numerous fine transverse lines of greyish white; rump, upper and under tail-coverts and tail black; wings blackish brown, the secondaries and coverts thickly dotted with fine markings of greyish white; bill and feet lead-colour.

The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size.