36 Some Finches I have Kept. 



a distinction which should prevent anyone from confnsinj;^ the 

 two species. Also the tail of the Parson is square at the tip 

 sji.ve for the extendinj;' shaft of the central feather, that of the 

 IvOng-tail beinj;' taperin;^' from the base to its finely pointed tip; 

 thus the novice need not err. 



There are also two forms of the Lon,^-tail, viz: the red- 

 beaked and the yellow-beaked, but that is the only noticeable 

 distinction between the two forms. At one period we used 

 only to get the red-beaked form imported, but now the yellow- 

 beaks come to hand quite as freely as red-beaks. 



Description : Head silver-grey; chin, throat, and chest 

 black, in the form of a flask-shaped patch; back greyish 

 fawn-colour, merging' into brown on the wing's and rump; 

 upper tail-coverts black; underparts pale silvery rufous-brown, 

 ventral region and under tail-coverts white; tail black, tapering" 

 and pointed; beak red; feet ruddy flesh-colour. 



The sexes are alike in plumage, but in the females of the 

 true pairs I have possessed I always fancied the black patch on 

 her throat was a wee bit smaller than that of the male, but I 

 cannot say whether this feature is constant or not. 



Wild Life : It ranges over N. Australia and frequents 

 open grassy plains, and constructs its nest in the long grass 

 and also in bushes, its haunts usually not being far removed 

 fiom water. 



Az'iary Life : These are charming birds in an aviary and, 

 though loving seclusion, are often on view, and look lovely 

 indeed when sitting at rest on a branch of some evergreen shrub, 

 and what a fine setting such forms for this harmoniously 

 coloured bird, and how strikingly they stand out against such a 

 background. They are equally charming in deportment and 

 habits, and above all have a strong inclination to go to nest, 

 but alas! not always successfully. T have had many nests 

 built in my aviaries, never one in a bush, but only on two 

 occasions have young been fully reared, and well T remember 

 the day when my first brood of three Long-tails made their 

 exit from the nest, and for one whole day were visible to all 

 and sundry as they squatted on the branches beside their 

 parents; then, for over a week they went into seclusion, and it 

 v.as only when they were yelling for food that they could be 



