X/^srS AXD EGGS OF AiSTRAUAX BIHDS. ^y] 



Ohsfrvatinnis. — This species is one of the smallest, and probably is the 

 loininoncst Finch in Eastern AustraUa. In dress it is not so showy as 

 sunie of its cousins, the garb being on the upper surface olive-brown, 

 with a lighter coloured under sm-facc conspicuously relieved by the 

 crimson-colouixd rump and eyebrows a hi Mephistoplieles, but red 

 instead of black, hence the vernacular name, Red-browed Finch. 

 The bill is blood-red. eyes brownish, and legs yellowish-white. Perhaps 

 1 sliould add that the bill is black in youthful birds up to the age of 

 three months, or the first moult, and the red eyebrows, whicli give the 

 little bird <ui agreeable, pert appearance, arc not donned until the 

 same age. 



The " Wax Bill, " as it is more familiarly named, is amongst my 

 earliest recollections as a boy, when I used to lind in the prickly bursajria 

 bushes on the high banks of the Werribee its IJulky spouted nest, with 

 beautiful pearlywliilc eggs. Since, 1 have CKamincd many nests of 

 the Red-browed Finch taken from tea-tree (MeUihuca) overhanging 

 creek or river inland, as well as from the coastal tea-tree or LtpUi- 

 xpermiim scrub near the sea, November proving the best month for 

 fresh eggs. 



In South Australia tlu- Red-browed Finch commences to lay at the 

 beginning of October, the breeding season contuuiing to the end of 

 Februarv. During that period probably three broods are reared. The 

 earliest eggs I have found in Victoria were obtained on '26th October. 

 These birds build in pairs and construct a new nest for each brood. 



For valuable field observations of this species and of the Spotted- 

 sided and Chestnut-eared Finches I am indebted to Mr. James Cooper, 

 an enthusiastic bird trapper, who, speaking of South Australia, 

 noted the three species in company, and that while the Red-browed 

 Finch separated to breed, the Spotted-.sided and Chestnut-eared birds 

 frequently nested in the same locahty. Young Red-browed Finches, or 

 " Wax Bills,' have been known to feed squabs of other Finches which 

 have been ci-ying for food. 



Mr. Hemiann Lau observed in Southern Queensland that tliis little 

 Finch built a most bulky nest, placing it between branches of shrubs 

 or trees from five to twenty feet from the ground. He has noticed 

 the bird building at all seasons, but whether for laying in or for 

 shelter against wind and cold he did not mention. 



Two of our field naturaUsts, Mes.srs. Edward Cornwall and C. French, 

 jun., have both reported the occuiTence of the egg of the Narrow-billed 

 Bronze Cuckoo in the nest of the Red-browed Finch. Mr. North 

 records a similar experience which once came under liis notice. At 

 first sight it appears incongruous that a graminivorous bu'd should rear 

 the yoiuig of an in.sectivorous species. But nature does not often go 

 astrav. It has been proved that the Red-browed Finch, as well as 

 other varieties, notably the Spotted-sided Finch, will devour ravenously 

 grubs and other lai^va; of insects besides grain food. Therefoi'e, there 

 remains a chance for the young Cuckoo, although I never knew of an 

 instance of one being reared in a Finch's nest. 



Judging by a skin in the Adelaide Museum, from Cape York 

 Peninsula, Queensland, the northern bird differs somewhat from the 



