196 



rich gamboge colour. Mr. Keulemans has also seen 

 oue, which had yellow feathers on the back and scapu- 

 lars, as well as the yellow head. 



Occasionally a specimen maybe seen intermediate 

 between black and red. For instance Mr. Towiisend 

 has a female Black-head which has many of the 

 feathers of the head tipped with dull red, these in- 

 creasing in number with each successive moult. 

 [The extensive experiments now being carried on in 

 the Oxford University physiological laboratory with 

 regard to the relationships — biological and chemical — 

 between different colours in animals will in time throw 

 some light on these mutations. — Ed.] 



Gouldian Finches, with their versi-coloured plu- 

 mage, vie in beauty with any of Australia's many hued 

 and gorgeously apparelled birds. They are only lack- 

 ing in one respect, and that is song, for as song birds 

 they have no song ; of course they are not dumb, and 

 to their own kind would appear to be undoubtedly 

 fluent and fine performers, from the evident satisfaction 

 expressed by the demeanour of the musician and his 

 companions. Even in the aviary their soft, sibilant 

 and grasshopper like twittering is quite audible, never- 

 theless they are not song birds as we regard the term. 

 According to Messrs. Gould, North, and Campbell, 

 their known habits in a state of nature are briefly as 

 follows : — The nest is dome shaped, and built either in 

 a small tree or bush, usually from about five to eight 

 feet from the ground. They are largely ground feeders 

 and when disturbed fly at once to the tops of the 

 loftiest trees. * The breeding season appears to be 



* This is also the case in captivity ; in my aviary if suddenly disturbed 

 they fly at ouce to the highest perch, or cling to the top wire netting. 



