OE NEW SOUTH WALES. 71 



becomes black, the back green, and the pectoral band purplish — or 

 rosy violet, becoming deeper in the males, sooner perhaps, than 

 in the females ; both sexes retain this plumage for a considerable 

 time, and are found breeding in this stage; with age, however, 

 both sexes attain the crimson heads so characteristic of the lovely 

 Poephila mirabilis. This fact is shown in a skin of a female 

 I now exhibit, in which the head is parti- coloured, crimson 

 and black. There is a narrow black line all round the crimson 

 of the head, and also round the eye, and a black patch in front of it, 

 while the sides and crown are chiefly crimson. They are found 

 breeding, often in flocks together, sometimes in large flocks, but 

 frequently, pairs in both stages of plumage are met with by them- 

 selves, scattered over a large extent of country. They have a 

 considerable range, being found as far south as 100 miles due 

 west of Port Denison, which I consider to be their most southern 

 limit. 



I am indebted to Inspector Armit for much interesting infor- 

 mation on the habits of these beautiful finches, and other rare 

 birds in Northern Queensland, also for the loan of the specimens 

 I exhibit this evening. 



Since writing the above, I have" received from Mr. Armit a 

 specimen of this species in a very interesting stage of plumage. 

 The head is black, as in that stage, which may be distinguished 

 under the name of gouldice, but the feathers of the crown and sides 

 of the face to behind the eyes, are tipped with bright golden 

 yellow, while their basal portion is light brown or whitish ; a nar- 

 row bluish band bounds the black of the throat and head ; the 

 remainder of the upper surface green, except the upper tail 

 coverts, which are bluish, with some of the younger feathers 

 green, margined at the tips with white ; the two centre tail 

 feathers are elongated and pointed, the breast is light buff 

 washed with pale violet purple, the flanks and abdomen pale 

 yellow, the under tail coverts white ; the bill is light horn colour 

 at the base, becoming blackish at the tip. 



Total length, 4 inches; wing, 2*4 inches; tail, 1*5 inches; 

 tarsi, 0'5 inch; bill, - 45 inch. 



