288 ploceid;e. 



The nest is a dome-shaped structure composed of dried grasses, rather loosely put together, 

 and thickly lined with feathers, and is always placed in a tussock of long grass. 



The eggs are usually four or five in number for a sitting, pure white, oval in form, the shell 

 being close-grained, smooth and lustreless. A set of five received from the late Mr. G. Barnard, 

 and taken at Coomooboolaroo, Duaringa, Queensland, on the gth September, i88g, measures: — 

 Length (A) 0-64 x 0-45 inches ; (B) 0-62 x 0-45 inches ; (C) o-6 x 0-47 inches ; (D) 0-58 x 

 0-47 inches ; (E) 0-62 x 0-46 inches. A set of four taken by Mr. H. G. Barnard, in the same 

 locality, on the 25th February, 1893, measures: — Length (A) 0-62 x 0-45 inches; (B) o-6 x 

 0-46 inches; (C) 0-58 x 0-46 inches ; (D) o-66 x 0-45 inches. 



The breeding season of this species is regulated to a large extent by the season in Central 

 Queensland, fresh eggs being taken in September and February. In New South Wales, Mr. 

 E. H. Lane has taken eggs in September and October. 



iEgintha temporalis. 



EED-EYEBROWED FINCH. 



Friiii/i//ii IrtiipiiritUs, Lath., Ind. Orn., Suppl., p. xlviii. (1801). 



Fs/rr/rh l.-mpondk, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. HE., pi. ^2 (1,S48). 



.E<jiitt/in fntiponi/is, Gould, Han Ibk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 411 (186.t) ; Sharpe, Oat. Bds. Brit. 

 Mu.s., Vol. XIII., p. .372 (1890). 



Adult male — General colour above dull nlive-ijelli>H\ brighter at the sides of the hind neck ; 

 upper wincj-coverts and inner secondaries like the back, quills dusky-brown externally edged with olive; 

 rump and npper tail-coverts crimson ; tail feathers dusky-brown ; croivn of the head and nape bluish- 

 grey ; lores and a superciliary stripe extending on to the sides of the nape crimson ; ear-coverts, 

 throat, and imder surface ashy-yrey ; llir rl'm nsln/irhihs/i : cfufre (f the breast and abdomen p>oJ''- 

 bujfy brown ; under tail-coverts ashy-grey, »io/'r or /rss u-uslied /rith pah- buffy-broivn ; bill blood-7-ed, 

 with a triangidar-shaped black jMtch on the culmen and centre oflotver mandible ; legs and feet flesh 

 colour ; iris reddish-brown. Total length in the flesh ^'5 inches, wing 2, tail IS, bill O'Jp, tarsus 0'55. 



Adult female — The sexes are alike in plumage. 



Distribution — Queensland, New South Wales, \'ictoria, South Australia. 



/"I^HE range of the Red-eyebrowed Finch extends from the neighbourhood of Cooktown, 

 -L in Queensland, throughout the greater portion of Eastern New South Wales, into 

 \'ictoria and South Australia. It is abundantly distributed in favourable situations over the 

 coastal districts, for which it evinces a decided preference. 



Specimens now before me from Cairns, Cardwell and Wide Bay, Queensland, are similar 

 to examples obtained in the neighbourhood of Sydney. Variation exists in the extent of the 

 pale buffy-brown feathers on the centre of the breast and abdomen ; also, on the buffy-brown or 

 isabelline wash to the under tail-coverts ; in some specimens the latter are entirely ashy-grey, 

 like the sides of the body. Partial albinism is not uncommon. There is a young bird in the 

 Australian Museum collection with the upper parts, including the head, dull yellowish-olive ; 

 the innermost secondaries like the back, remainder of quills white ; upper tail-coverts dull 

 crimson, central pair of tail feathers white, the lateral feathers dark brown ; a few feathers on 

 the nape white ; chin, throat and centre of the breast white, fore neck and flanks dull yellowish- 

 olive ; bill black, ^^'ing i-g inches. 



