INSESSORES. 425 



plumage of a light brown ; like the other members of the 

 genus, it inhabits the open spots of country, and feeds on 

 grass-seeds." 



In addition to the differences pointed out by Gilbert, I may 

 mention that it may also be distinguished from the F. per- 

 sonata by its white ear-coverts and by the black of the throat 

 being bounded below, and the black marks on the flanks 

 anteriorly, with white ; the colouring of the upper sm"face is 

 also a somewhat richer brown. 



As is the case with the other members of the genus, the 

 sexes of this species differ but little from each other. 



Band crossing the forehead, lores, tlu'oat, and a large patch 

 on each flank deep velvety black ; ear-coverts, a narrow line 

 beneath the black of the throat, and a space surrounding the 

 black patch on the flanks white ; crown of the head deep 

 reddish chestnut ; all the upper surface and wings dark 

 cinnamon-brown ; chest and abdomen pale vinous brown ; 

 upper and under tail-coverts white, the former margined 

 externally with deep black ; tail black ; irides dark brown ; 

 feet red ; bill yellowish horn-colour. 



Total length 4f inches ; biU | ; wing 2 J ; tail 2\ ; tarsi f . 



Sp. 264. POEPHILA CINCTA, Gould. 



Banded Grass-Finch. 

 Amadina cincta, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part iv. p. 105. 



Poephila cincta, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iii. pi. 93. 



This species is tolerably abundant on the Liverpool Plains, 

 and the open country to the northward towards the interior. 

 It occurs so rarely on the sea side of the ranges, that I only 

 once met with it during my sojourn in New South Wales. It 

 is doubtless a native of the great basin of the interior, where, 

 like the P. acuticauda, P. pcrsonata, and P. Icucotis, it fre- 

 quents those parts of the open plains which abound in grasses. 



