INSESSORES. 427 



( Calamophilus biarmicus) of Europe, in the alertness with which 

 it passes up and down the upright stems of the reeds, from 

 the lower part to the very top, a habit for which the length- 

 ened and curved form of its claws seems well adapted. 



The sexes appear to differ but little in colouring ; in some 

 individuals, however, the cheeks and throat are black instead 

 of brown, a character doubtless dependent on age or season. 



I have not as yet seen this bird from the northern or western 

 coast. 



Crown of the head and back of the neck grey, the centre of 

 each feather being brown ; cheeks, throat, and ear-coverts 

 blackish brown in some specimens, each feather slightly tipped 

 with pale buff; upper surface and wings reddish brown ; 

 upper tail-coverts orange ; tail brown, margined with paler 

 brown ; across the chest a broad band of pale chestnut, 

 bounded below by a line of black, which gradually widens 

 towards the flanks, along which it is continued for some 

 distance ; the remainder of the feathers on this part white, 

 with a spot of blackish brown at the extremity of each ; ab- 

 domen white ; thighs black ; under tail-coverts white, with a 

 spot of blackish brown at the extremity of each ; bill black ; 

 feet brown. 



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



Sp. 266. DONACOLA PECTORALIS, Gould. 



White-breasted Finch. 

 Amadina pectoralis, Gould inProc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 127. 



Donacola pectoralis, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ill. pi. 95. 



For two beautiful specimens of this entirely new Finch I 

 am indebted to E. Dring, Esq., of the Beagle, who procured 

 them on the north-west coast of Australia : no notes of their 

 habits or economy having been forwarded with the specimens, 

 I am unable to give any particulars respecting them. 



