INSESSORES. 413 



the sides of the river Namoi, particularly along the sloping 

 banks covered with herbage, where it appeared to be feeding 

 upon such grasses and other annuals as afforded seeds con- 

 genial to its taste ; I also frequently observed it among the 

 rushes which grow in the beds of mud along the sides of the 

 water. 



The adult male and female are scarcely to be distinguished 

 by outward appearance ; the female is, however, a trifle less 

 than the male in size. The young, on the contrary, present 

 a very different appearance ; the whole of their plumage 

 being of a uniform buffy brown ; eye yellowish olive sur- 

 rounded by a narrow olive lash ; bill reddish brown ; legs 

 brownish yellow. 



Face and cheeks scarlet, the latter covered with narrow 

 feathers, which are finely spotted with white at the tip ; upper 

 surface and wings olive-brown ; upper tail-coverts and tail 

 deep crimson-brown, the former having a large spot of pinkish 

 white near the tip of each feather ; throat, chest, and flanks 

 delicate olive-grey, each feather having a large oval white spot 

 transversely disposed near the tip ; centre of the abdomen 

 and under tail-coverts dirty yellowish white ; bill scarlet ; 

 irides orange slightly inclining to hazel, surrounded by a 

 rather broad, naked, flesh-coloured lash ; legs and feet rather 

 darker than fine lemon-yellow. 



Total length 4| inches ; wing 2^ ; tail 1 J ; tarsi f . 



Genus AIDEMOSYNE, Reichenhach. 



The extreme modesty of its colouring and the jetty hue of 

 its bill afford sufficient differential characters from the other 

 Australian members of the family to warrant its separation 

 into the type of a new genus. Without questioning the pro- 

 priety of these numerous subdivisions, I must, in justice to 

 those who make them, remark that they do differ very con- 

 siderably, and that additional species of most of the forms 

 occur in other countries. 



