Ni:.S/S A.W i.t,L,S UJ- ALSrA.ll/A.V S/A'VS. a^^ 



Regaa'diug its nidiJicatiou iu the open, lovers of these aviaxy pets 

 will read with ple;w>ure Mr. Keartland's remarks: — " Tliis pretty Finch 

 was only seen near the Fitzroy Kivei', where it was breeding during 

 Febru;uy and March. By a close observation of the material used 

 it is possible to determine to which species of Finch the nest belongs. 

 The Kinged Finch usually chooses a site iu some drooping briuich 

 about tea feet from the ground. In the case of those examined the 

 outer covering wius invariably very coiirse — dead gi-ass loosely woven 

 logcther — but the lining wiis of the finest .silver-gra«.s, and a marvel of 

 neatness. Six eggs form the usual clutcli. Althougli .>50ine were 

 perfectly white, one clutch from wliich I caught the bird had a faint 

 bluish tinge, similar to those of the Ciicstnut-earcd Finch." 



399. — MuiNiA CASTANErrHOKAX, Gould. — (-65) 

 CHESTNUT-BREASTED FINCH. 



ligure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iii., pi. 94. 

 Hejcrcnci. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 340. 

 Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Ramsay : Ibis, p. 232 (1868), also 

 I'roc. Linn. See, N.S. Wales, vol. i., 2nd ser., p. 1147 (1886). 



GeoyrajihiCd! Distribution. — Northern Territory, Queensland, and 

 New South Wales. 



Std. — Oval, bulky, with spouted side entrance ; composed of dried 

 ■' blady -grass and other grasses; lined inside with fine dried grass, 

 the stalks of wliich are evidently taken iu first, leaving some of the 

 flowering heads protruding from the entrance. Usually situated in a 

 crop of " blady -grass, some of the gi-ecn stalks of the grass being 

 woven into the outride of the nest. Dimensions 7 inches in length by 

 diameter in thickest part 4i to 5 inches, or a circumference of about 

 15 inches; entrance about 1 inch across. 



Eggs. — Clutch, four to six ; oval inclined in shape ; texture of shell 

 fine ; surface slight trace of gloss ; colour, pure white. Dimensions in 

 inches of a proper clutch : (1) -67 x -47, (2) -67 x -46, (3) -63 x -46, 

 (4) -63 X -45, (5) '62 x -46 ; of three examples from a set of six : 

 U) -66 X -45, (2) -65 x -45, (3) 64 x -43. 



Oh.'iervatioiis. — This beautiful Finch possesses a reddish-brown or 

 bull'-coloured coat, with a broad band of light-chestnut on the breast, 

 ornamented below with a black line. Rest of the under surface white, 

 except a few feathers tipped with black upon the sides. Head dark- 

 grey, relieved with a blackish-brown face and bill ; total length, about 

 4 inches. 



