Part 42

Donacola flaviprymna, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xiii. p. 80.

A single specimen, and the only one I have ever seen of this pretty Finch, was presented to me by Benjamin Bynoe, Esq., Surgeon, R.N., who procured it on the banks of the Victoria River during the late surveying voyage of H.M.S. Beagle. It is very nearly allied to the Donacola castaneothorax, but is specifically distinct from that as well as from every other known species of this now numerous tribe of birds. I regret to add that nothing whatever is known of its habits or mode of life; but in these respects it doubtless as closely assimilates to its congeners as it does in form.

Head pale fawn-colour; back and wings light chestnut-brown; under surface buff; upper tail-coverts wax-yellow; under tail-coverts black; tail brown.

The figures are of the natural size.

EMBLEMA PICTA: Gould.

J. Gould and H. C. Richter del^t. C. Hullmandel Imp. ]

EMBLEMA PICTA, Gould. Painted Finch.

Emblema picta, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., 1842.

This beautiful Finch is a native of the north-west coast of Australia, where it was procured by B. Bynoe, Esq. The single individual sent me by that gentleman, and which I have drawn in two different positions, was unaccompanied by any account whatever of its habits and economy; but we may reasonably infer from the lengthened and pointed form of its bill, that the kind of food upon which it subsists will be somewhat different from that of the other Australian Finches. My readers will not fail to observe how singular is the disposition of the colouring in the present bird, the under parts being extremely beautiful, while on the upper, which is generally the most highly ornamented, a more than ordinary degree of plainness prevails.

Face and throat deep vermilion red; the base of all the feathers of the throat black, giving that part a mingled appearance of black and red; crown of the head, all the upper surface and wings brown; rump deep vermilion red; tail dark brown; chest and all the under surface jet-black, the flanks numerously spotted with white, and the centre of the abdomen dashed with deep vermilion red; feet light red; upper mandible black, under mandible scarlet, with a triangular patch of black at the base.

The figures are of the natural size.

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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. 2. Anachronistic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed. 3. Enclosed italics font in underscores.