428 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



In structure and in the general disi)osition of its markings, 

 the White-breasted Finch offers a considerable resemblance to 

 the Donacola castaneothoracc of the eastern coast, and in all 

 probability they arc analogues of each other, in accordance 

 with a law which appears very generally to prevail among the 

 birds of Australia ; each great division of this vast country 

 having its own peculiar species. 



Crown of the head, all the upper surface, and wings delicate 

 greyish brown ; the tips of the wing-coverts very minutely 

 spotted with white ; tail blackish brown ; throat and ear- 

 coverts glossy blackish purple ; chest crossed by a band of 

 feathers, black at the base, largely tipped with white ; abdo- 

 men and under tail-coverts vinous grey ; flanks ornamented 

 with a few feathers similar to those crossing the breast ; bill 

 bluish horn-colour ; feet flesh-colour. 



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



Genus MUNIA, Hodgson. 



This genus has been established for the Loxia malacca of 

 Linnaeus, to which may be added the Loxia frrruginca of 

 Sparmann, and the Australian bird to which I gave the name 

 of Donacola jlaviprymna. 



Sp. 267. MUNIA FLAVIPRYMNA, Gould. 



Yellow-rumped Finch. 



Donacola flaviprymna, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part xiii. p. 80. 

 Dermophnjs Jiaviprymnus, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil i. p. 174^ note. 



Donacola flaviprymna, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. iii. pi. 96. 



A single specimen, and the only one I have ever seen of 

 this pretty Finch, was presented to me by the late Mr. 

 Bynoe, who procured it on the banks of the Victoria 

 River during the late surveying voyage of H.M.S. Ship 

 Beagle. It is very nearly allied to the Donacola castaneothoraXy 

 but is specifically distinct from that as well as from every 



