Vol. ^xvlli.-j Campbell, Birds from Gouldian-Gilhert Type-tocatity. 187 



Poephila gouldise, Gould. Gouldian Grass-Finch. 



Four o3 (2 red-headed phase), i ?, 2 cJc? (immature), i ? (im- 

 mature). A useful series, and of most historic interest, besides 

 the bird being an aviary favourite. 



"It is with feelings of the purest affection," Gould modestly 

 writes, " that I ventured in the folio edition to dedicate this lovely 

 bird to the memory of my late wife, who for many years laboriously 

 assisted me with her pencil, accompanied me to Australia, and 

 cheerfully interested herself in all my pursuits." 



Gilbert discovered the species on Greenhill Island, near Port 

 Essington, where, he states, " it inhabited the edges of the man- 

 groves and thickets. When disturbed it invariably flew to the 

 topmost branches of the loftiest gums — a habit I have not before 

 observed in any other member of the genus. Its note is a very 

 mournful sound added to a double ' Twit.' Those I observed were 

 feeding among the high grass, in small families of from four to 

 seven in number, and were very shy." 



Although the Territory is the type-locality of the species, it 

 extends on either hand to North-West Australia and North 

 Queensland. In the latter locality Mathews gives sub-specific 

 rank to Ramsay's phase, armitiana, and adds one of his own, 

 kempt, because of its " richer under surface " (.4. A. R., ii., p. 132). 

 In the long and valuable series of skins of the Gouldian Finch in 

 the " H. L. White Collection," nothing is richer-coloured than 

 the mature males from the type-locality — Parrot or oil-green 

 backs, dark mauve or dull bluish-violet breasts, and yellow (light 

 cadmium) under parts. The greenish upper surface of some of 

 the North-Western (Derby) birds, however, is slightly more 

 yellowish. 



Poephila personata, Gould. Masked Grass-Finch. 

 Neopoephila p. personata. 



Three 3,$, i ?. Wings, 58 mm. Slightly darker or richer- 

 coloured than those from other localities. However, some from 

 Port Darwin (near the type-locality) are a little lighter-coloured, 

 and agree with Napier Broome Bay (North-West) specimens — 

 Mathews's harterti. 



Neochmia phaeton, Homli. and J acq. Crimson Finch. 



Three ^^, 2 $?. A nice series, and well-named " crimson " 

 in tone of colour. Not a Gouldian-Gilbert type, but, as Gould 

 states, Hombron and Jacquinot's bird was collected at Raffles 

 Bay, " a locality closely bordering that in which Gilbert procured 

 his specimens." 



It is interesting to note, as Mathews has pointed out, that type- 

 locality birds hav(> a black crown instead of brown, as in North- 

 \\'est specimens {/itzroyi). The Territory birds, in general, are 

 also more intensely coloured. There is less difference in the 

 respective females. 



