56 Hall, Notes on Bird-Sldns from N. W. Australia. [isf Oct. 



4 minutes, while the Honey-eater, P. keartlandi, is in and out 

 many times.] 



71. PoEPHlLA MIRABILIS (Hombron and Jacquinot), Scarlet- 

 headed Grass-Finch. 



Poephila gouldice, Gould, Birds Aust., fol., vol. iii., pi. 88 (1S48). 

 PoepJiila arinitiana^ Ramsay, P.L.S. N.S.W., vol. ii., p. 70 ; id., 



March, 1889 (A. J. North). 

 Poephila inirabilis, Gould, Birds Aust., fol., vol. iii., pi. 89 (1848); 



Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xiii., p. 378 (1890). 



a. Adult male, 6/4/00. 



b, c, d. Adult males (black-headed variety, i.e., P. gouldice), 

 6/4/00. 



In the South Australian Museum may be seen many forms 

 intermediate (showing red and black) between P. viirabilis and 

 one of the varieties, P. goiildicc. 



[The scarlet-headed bird is not common, while 1 have not seen 

 one of the yellow-headed variety. P. gouldice comes with P. 

 acuticauda in a small flock for the purpose of drinking from a 

 rock hole. I find them near the coast rather than inland. On 

 31/8/00 I met a large flock of P. viirabilis and P. goiddics on a 

 sand ridge fifteen miles inland from Derby. 



I believe these birds are now (24/3/00) nesting, as I saw a pair 

 building up an old nest which was placed in a bunch of spinifex. 

 I have always seen the birds in rough stony country. In no 

 place are they plentiful, as about 15-20 is the most I have seen 

 congregated. This was in December. The stomachs of those 

 dissected were full of spinifex seed. I saw, at Breakaway, on 

 15/1/01, a large flock of finches. They consisted of P. gouldice, 

 P. mirabilis, and T. castanotis. The green backs of the former 

 are very'beautiful as they appear with the rising of the birds 

 against the dry grass.] 



72. Neochmia phaeton (Hombron and Jacquinot), Crimson 

 Finch. 



Estrelda pJiactoji, Gould, Birds Aust., fol., vol. iii., pi. 83 (1848). 

 Neochmia p/iaeion, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Ahis., vol. xiii., p. 389 

 (1890). 



One adult male, 27/9/00. 



[Two pairs have built near the camp of my neighbour, Mr. 

 Douglas. One of these is under an old rug hanging in a tree. 

 As soon as the birds showed their intentions (15/3/00) the rug 

 was well secured for their purpose, and they completed their 

 dwelling in due course. The second is placed in a small 

 mistletoe growing immediately above his tent. Both are built 

 of paper bark, grass, and " ravelings " of an old net. When 

 Mr, Douglas detected the wish of the birds regarding the net 

 he unwound much of it, and they carried it away in pieces as 

 fast as he undid the tangle. In one case the male bird did all 

 the work, while the female sat upon a limb and watched him. 



