Part 38

Amadina ruficauda, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part IV. p. 106; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.

I observed this beautiful Finch rather thinly dispersed on the sides of the river Namoi, particularly along the sloping banks covered with herbage, where it appeared to be feeding upon such grasses and other annuals as afforded seeds congenial to its taste; I also frequently observed it among the rushes which grow in the beds of mud along the sides of the water; and this, I regret to say, is all the information I have to communicate respecting it. It is a species seldom seen in collections, which may be attributed to the circumstance of its being strictly confined to the interior, a part of the country where collections are much less frequently formed than near the coast. The only parts of Australia whence I have received or in which I have killed it, are the Liverpool Plains, and the banks of the rivers Mokai and Namoi.

The adult male and female are scarcely to be distinguished by outward appearance; the female is, however, a trifle less than her mate in size. The young, on the contrary, present a very different appearance; the whole of their plumage being of a uniform buffy brown; eye yellowish olive surrounded by a narrow olive lash; bill reddish brown; legs brownish yellow.

Face and cheeks scarlet, the latter covered with narrow feathers, which are finely spotted with white at the tip; upper surface and wings olive-brown; upper tail-coverts and tail deep crimson-brown, the former having a large spot of pinkish white near the tip of each feather; throat, chest and flanks delicate olive-grey, each feather having a large oval white spot transversely disposed near the tip; centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts dirty yellowish white; bill scarlet; irides orange slightly inclining to hazel, surrounded by a rather broad, naked, flesh-coloured lash; legs and feet rather darker than fine lemon-yellow.

The figures are of the natural size.

AMADINA MODESTA: Gould

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

AMADINA MODESTA, Gould. Plain-coloured Finch.

Amadina modesta, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part IV. p. 105; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.

The native habitat of this species of Finch, so far as is yet known, is confined to New South Wales, where it inhabits the stony ridges bordering the large plains. I have known it to cross the Liverpool range and take up its summer abode in the flats of the Upper Hunter, but this proximity to the coast is rare. I found it tolerably abundant on the Liverpool Plains and on the banks of the Namoi, and Mr. Gilbert also mentions his having observed it on the low ranges to the northward of Moreton Bay. In its habits, actions and economy no remarkable differences were observed from those of the other species of the genus.

It is usually seen in pairs or associated in small companies, feeding either on or near the ground; the seeds of grasses and other annuals forming its chief supply of food.

A nest found by Mr. Gilbert was of a domed form, composed of grasses, and contained five or six white eggs, about half an inch long by three-eighths broad.

The sexes may be distinguished by the absence of the black mark in the female, as shown in the accompanying Plate.

The male has the fore-part of the head deep crimson red; lores and a spot on the chin black; nape of the neck, mantle and back brown; wings brown; tertials (which are very long in this species), together with the greater and lesser quill-feathers, having a spot of white at the tip; rump and upper tail-coverts alternately barred with lines of greyish white and brown; tail-feathers black, the two outer ones on each side tipped with white; under surface white, transversely barred with lines of brown, which are strongest on the flanks; middle of the abdomen and under tail-coverts white; bill black; irides reddish brown; eyes surrounded by a very narrow lash of blackish brown; legs flesh-white.

The female differs in having the colouring of the crown less extensive, and in wanting the black on the chin and lores.

The figures represent the two sexes of the natural size.

AMADINA LATHAMI.

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

AMADINA LATHAMI. Spotted-sided Finch.

Fringilla leucocephala, var., Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xlviii.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. ix. p. 493.

Spotted Grosbeak, Lewin, Birds of New Holl., pl. ix.

White-headed Finch, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 210. pl. 132.

Spotted-sided Grosbeak, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. v. p. 248. pl. lxxxix.

Fringilla Lathami, Vig. & Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 256.

This bird is very generally dispersed over the southern portion of the Australian continent; I found it plentiful in South Australia and in every part of New South Wales that I visited; and it was equally numerous beyond the boundary of the colony on the Liverpool Plains, the Namoi, &c. It is a showy attractive species, and passes much of its time on the ground, where it procures its food, which consists of the seeds of various kinds of grasses, &c.; upon being compelled to rise from the ground it merely flies into the nearest tree, the scarlet rump showing very conspicuously during these short flights.

The most singular part of this bird’s history is the site often chosen for its nest, which is frequently built among the large sticks forming the under surface of the nest of the smaller species of Eagles, and that too during the time the Eagle is sitting, both species hatching and rearing their progeny in harmony; this I have witnessed in several instances, and have taken the eggs of the Eagle and of the Finch at the same time, as mentioned in the following extract from my journal:—“Oct. 23. Found the nest of Amadina Lathami placed under and among the sticks of a Whistling Eagle’s (Haliastur? sphenurus) nest, in which latter the old bird was then sitting. My black companion Natty ascended the tree, a high swamp oak (Casuarina) on the bank of the Dartbrook, and brought down the eggs of both birds. The little Finches were sitting on the small twigs close to their rapacious but friendly neighbour.” At other times the nest is placed on the leafy branch of a gum- or apple-tree. It is of a large size, and is constructed of grasses of various kinds; in form it is nearly spherical, with a short pendent spout on one side, through which the bird obtains access to the interior; the eggs are white, rather long in shape, and five or six in number.

The sexes offer little or no difference in the markings of their plumage.

Crown of the head and back of the neck brownish grey; back and wings brown, becoming deeper on the tips of the primaries; lores, a broad band across the breast, flanks and tail deep black; each feather of the flanks with a large spot of white near the tip; rump and upper tail-coverts shining scarlet; throat, abdomen and under tail-coverts white; irides red, surrounded by a narrow, naked, lilac-red lash; bill blood-red, passing into lilac at the base and on the culmen; feet purplish brown.