INSESSORES. 405 



frequently allow itself to be almost trodden upon before it will 

 rise, and then it merely flies to a short distance and descends 

 again ; it may often be seen perched upon the strong blades 

 of grass and occasionally on the trees ; it frequently mounts 

 high in the air after the manner of the Skylark of Europe, 

 singing all the time very melodiously, but with a weaker 

 strain than that favourite bird ; it also occasionally utters its 

 pleasing song while perched on the branches of the trees. 



The sexes are alike in colour and size. 



General plumage ashy brown, the centre of the feathers 

 dark brown, the latter colour predominating on the head, 

 lower part of the back and tertiaries ; wings brown margined 

 with rufous ; over the eye a stripe of buff; chin white ; under 

 surface pale buff"; throat crossed by a series of dark brown 

 spots arranged in a crescentic form ; under surface of the wing 

 rufous ; bill flesh-brown at the base and dark brown at the 

 tip ; feet fleshy brown. 



Family FEINGILLID^. 



The Finches of Australia comprise about twenty well- 

 marked species, pertaining to several genera or subgenera, each 

 of which exhibits a slight difference in structure, accompanied 

 as is always the case, by a diff'erence in habit, and in the 

 districts inhabited ; thus the Stictopterce frequent grassy 

 patches in the glades of the forests, the open parts of gullies, 

 &c. ; the Steganopleur(B, the stony hills and flats ; the PoepJiilcs, 

 the grass beds of the open plains ; and the DonacolfB, the 

 marshy districts and reed-beds : of the habits of Emhlema 

 nothing is known ; its pointed bill indicates some peculiarity 

 in its economy differing from those of the other genera. 



Most if not all the species build large grassy nests, some 

 with a spout-like opening. 



