41U BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



The male has the face, ear-coverts, and throat pure white, 

 completely surrounded by a band of black, which is broadest 

 on the forehead ; crown of the head, nape of the neck, and 

 back broccoli-brown, each feather crossed by numerous trans- 

 verse lines of a lighter tint ; upper part of the rump black ; 

 lower part of the rump and upper tail-coverts snow-white ; 

 wings black, all the feathers except the primaries beautifully 

 spotted with white; chest greyish white, tinged with buff, 

 bounded below by a broadish band of jet-black; abdomen 

 and flanks buffy white; under tail-coverts and tail black; 

 irides black, surrounded by a narrow black lash ; bill beautiful 

 pale blue. 



The sexes, although having a similar character of marking, 

 may be distinguished from each other by the male having the 

 black bands of the chest and throat broader, and its plumage 

 more brilliant. The young also at an early age possess the 

 characteristic markings of the adult. 



Sp. 252. STICTOPTERA ANNULOSA, Gould. 



Black-rumped Finch. 



Amadina annulosa, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part vii. p. 143. 

 Stidoptera annulosa, Reich. Sing-Vogel. 



Estrelda annulosa, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. iii. pi. 81. 



This species was one of several, collected by the Officers of 

 H.M.S.S. Beagle, and for the specimens from which my 

 descriptions were taken I am indebted to Messrs. Bynoe and 

 Dring. The bird has also been brought to England by Sir 

 George Grey : all these specimens were collected on the north- 

 west coast, and it is not unfrequently seen on the Coburg 

 Peninsula, where it inhabits the grassy banks of running 

 streams, in small families of from six to ten in number. 



It differs from Bicheno's Finch in the spots and markings 

 on the upper surface being rather less defined, and in the co- 



