302 PLOCKII),E. 



another pair have a nest in one of the forks supporting the grass roof of a shed, used as a stable. 

 The former deserted their nest, but from the nest in the stable-shed I took seven fresh eggs on 

 the nth December, 1892. Another nest, containing four fresh eggs, was brought me on the 

 same day taken from a Fandanns. These Finches seem ubiquitous in their choice of breeding 

 places. I noticed one hop out at the base of a Cocoanut leaf, and found a new nest there. I 

 watched a male bird with grass in his bill fly to the top of a small Leichhardt Tree, and there 

 saw a bulky nest built away among twigs springing from an horizontal limb. Last year, owing 

 to the mild winter, these Finches did not congregate about the stables to pick up the fallen seed 

 as usual. On the 25th August, 1893, ^ found one of their nests with young just ready to fly, 

 and took a nest in a Leichhardt Tree at Goose Lagoon, in October 1893, containing Ave fresh 

 eggs. It was a bulky structure and thickly lined with feathers of the Magpie Goose (Anseranas 

 melanoleiica). On the ist February, 1894, I saw a Crimson Finch fly from its nest in a small 

 tea-tree; these birds have been breeding now for eight months. On the loth February I 

 noticed one building in a Cocoanut Palm, and five days later found one in an Alligator Pear-tree 

 containing five incubated eggs. I thought the breeding season had finished, but on the 22nd 

 March, 1894, a Finch almost flew in my face, and I found a nest of Ncoclimia phaeton, containing 

 three fresh eggs, built between the butt of a palm frond and the stem. On the 14th March, 

 1895, I found a nest with five eggs. Nfochmin phactou, like the acclimatised Sparrow, seems to 

 breed anywhere, trees, palms, I'andanus and houses seem alike to them." 



Mr. G. A. Keartland writes me as follows: — " I saw many nests of Ncocbmta plnuton near 

 the junction of the Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers, North-western Australia. They were all made 

 of very coarse grass strippings, some of which were so large that the birds could scarcely carry 

 them, but the interior was lined with softer material. At all the habitations along the Fitzroy 

 River, these birds make their appearance just before the heavy rains of January, and commence 

 building at once, but as soon as the young broods are reared they all clear out again. The 

 Crimson Finch seems to delight in the company of man, and although I found over thirty nests, 

 they were all attached to dwelling houses, under the eaves or on the rafters of the verandahs. 

 At the Police Camp eleven nests could be seen, two of them being within twelve inches of each 

 other. At Mr. Blyth's Camp several nests we.re under the eaves of the bough shade, and the 

 birds hopped about the floor within three or four feet of those sitting at the breakfast table. 

 Although some birds were taken from the nests and handled, they soon returned to their eggs 

 when liberated. At Mr. E. J. Harris's store room many nests were seen on the wall plates, and 

 in one instance a pair of birds entered at one of the corrugations of the roofing iron, flew across 

 the room, and built their nest in a coil of telegraph wire hanging on the wall. I never saw a 

 nest of this species in a bush or tree." 



Five or six eggs are usually laid for a sitting, sometimes seven, and occasionally eight. 

 They are pure white, oval or elongate-oval in form, some specimens being slightly pointed at the 

 smaller end, the shell being close-grained, smooth and lustreless. Seven eggs of a set of eight 

 taken by Mr. J. A. Boyd, on the 9th December, 1889, measure as follows: — Length (A) 0-65 

 X 0-45 inches ; (B) 0-65 x 0-45 inches ; (C) 0-65 x 0-46 mches; (D) 0-7 x 0-43 inches ; (E) 

 0-68 X 0-45 inches; (F) 0-65 x 0-47 inches ; (G) o'64 x 0-55 inches. 



Semi-adult males are ochreous-brown above and below, slightly washed with dull crimson 

 on the upper wing-coverts, innermost secondaries and tail feathers ; some of the feathers on the 

 breast crimson, a few on the lower breast and vent dull black, centre of the breast and abdomen 

 dull ochreous white. Wing 1-9 inches. 



August until the end of March appears to constitute the usual breeding season, but doubtless, 

 like that of many other species, it is greatly influenced by the rainfall, so nests may be found in 

 every month of the year. 



