AESTS A\D EGGS OF AVSTKALIA.V BIRDS. 47^ 



liardy cagc-biid, but it has been proved that, if tliey arc trapped when 

 thev liavc young, the old birds pine and die. In Victoria I liavc usually 

 found the nest of this elegant species placed in forked branchlcts of 

 saplings. 



The followng is one of Mr. J. T. Gillespie's notes :—" December 

 IGtli, at Springvale, found six eggs Spotted-sided Finch in the nest 

 from which I had previously taken five eggs, 25th November; also six 

 eggs in nest from which I had taken eggs 4th and 25lh November. 

 November 11th took nest with thirteen fresh eggs." 



Mr. Gillespie has proved that the Spotted-sided Finch occasionally 

 resorts to old nests to lay. He once found an old cg^ together with 

 a new set in the same nest (1893). This Finch has also been seen 

 camping in an old nest of the Babbler ( PiinifitiirliiiiiisJ. 



Mr. James G. McDougall observed on Yorke Peninsula, South 

 Australia, that the Spotted-,sidpd Finch usually laid six eggs during 

 October and November. 



It is a remarkable fact that the Spotted-sided Finch not unfrequently 

 builds its nest among the sticks of the nests of Eagles. Touching this 

 subject, Gould gives the following original extract fi-om his journal : — 

 '' October 23rd, found the nest of the Spotted-sided Finch placed imder 

 and among the sticks of a Whistling Eagle's (Haliastur sphenurus) 

 nest, in which latter the old bird was then sitting. My black com- 

 panion, Natty, ascended the tree, a high swamp-oak (Casuarina), on 

 the bank of the Darlbrook, and brought do\vn the eggs of both birds. 

 The little Finches were sitting on the .small twigs close to their 

 rapacious but friendly neighboiu's." 



Mr. H. W. Ford, F.G.S., a good field observer, in taking notes as 

 to how cei-tain bii-ds come to water, noticed that : — " The Diamond 

 Finch (a small spotted black and white and red bird) is never more than 

 a mile or two from water, and comes in all day in hot weather after 

 10 a.m. They come in by huudi'eds, and will venture right to one's 

 feet on a hot day if kept back awhile from water." 



393. — ZoN.EGiNTHUS BELLi's, Latham. — (249) 

 FIRE-TAILED FINCH. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iii., pi. 78. 



Tteference. — Cat. Birds Brit! Mus., vol. xiii., p. 293. 



I'revioui Vescriftions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia (1848) ; 



also Handbook, vol. i., p. 407 (1865); North: Austn. Mus. 



Cat., p. 160 (i88q). 



Gengrnphicnl Di.'<trihution. — South Queensland, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, including Kent Group and 

 Furneaux Group in Bass Strait. 



Tf.s7. — Bottle-shaped, or covered in. with a spouted side entrance; 

 constructed of grasses chiefly, with the addition of portions of other 



